Wright: A Special Player in The Making

Basketball Recruiting General5

This entry from Mike DeCourcy popped up on our radar tonight.

Now that Sendek has gone to coach at Arizona State, Wright, who will be a senior this fall at St. John’s High in Washington, has withdrawn his commitment and is looking at any number of schools. He speaks of Georgetown most fondly because he plays pickup games there frequently with some of the Hoyas. Wright plans to give new State coach Sidney Lowe a chance, however, and would like to visit the campus and spend some time with him.

Standing 6-0, 190 pounds, Wright is the sort of point guard it seems State has not had in its lineup since Lowe left in the early 1980s. (OK, it only seems that long. After all, the Pack featured Chris Corchiani just 15 years ago). Wright plays with a high degree of intelligence and excels at running his team.

He has spent more time trying to recover his health than worrying about what college to attend in the fall of 2007. They’ve been worried about him, though. A gifted point guard coming back onto the market is certain to create a frenzy, and Wright has heard from Clemson, Wake Forest, Illinois, Virginia Tech, DePaul, Pittsburgh and the Miami Hurricanes. “I think it might be a little more than the last time, to be honest,” he said.

Wright said it was difficult to lose out on the chance to play for Sendek at State, but he understands the business aspects of college basketball. He understands a lot about the game. That’s why he’s in such demand.

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Basketball Recruiting General

5 Responses to Wright: A Special Player in The Making

  1. redfred2 07/09/2006 at 11:18 PM #

    I really didn’t know if Wright was that good or if he was just being touted as such by the people who always live by saying “Wait until next year.” I guess that article sorta answers some of my questions. I hate to keep harping on it but I have never seen the number of players that had commited four years of their lives to what was supposedly “the university” of their choice, just drop it all and run like these have.

    In my opinion this has been handled way too passively, too much playing the nice guy and giving the recruits free rein to explore all options and get way too familiar other schools. Those are the same other schools that are laughing behind our backs (along with media), but loving NC State for it’s always passive, roll over and die reputation on things such as this. That Mr Nice Guy routine gets us no where while being laughed at by all of the media. All it nets us in the end is a “nice” little seat to sit back and watch as these players walk away.

    I am hoping that this passive reputation will change under Sidney Lowe. That can happen if, big “IF” there, the administration will stay out of the way and allow NCSU athletics to be run on par with it’s competitors in the ACC and elsewhere in the nation. That would involve taking the same rules that other universities have used to horn in on and take our supposedly “officially committed” recruits. Then without feeling guilty for no reason, using those same rules to instead, and for once, benefit NC State athletics in the future.

  2. Astral Rain 07/10/2006 at 10:19 AM #

    Maybe they feel that having malcontents and transfers, something Sendek had a ton of, was worse then having them walk out now.

    I do think the malcontent problem will be less under Lowe, which will help things out anyways. I’d rather have the short-term pain then long-term. It’s been 20 years since NCSU hoops was really relevant, 2 more isn’t going to be much more painful. It’s like the Moneyball theorem- the goal is to maximize the number of years you are a national contender, even if it means some bad years. (though this is less true in college sports then pro for obvious reasons)

  3. redfred2 07/10/2006 at 6:11 PM #

    Astral

    Agreed, but I think the malcontent aspect of this whole thing is now residing in Tempe and that issue will no longer be a problem for the NC State basketball program. If somehow these guys could have been held in check or at least better communicated with about the fans and the university itself, like it is so obvious never happened during their original recruitment, I think we would still have a great chance to persuade them into sticking with NCSU, despite all that has occurred since then.

    I read somewhere earlier about Chris Wright getting very familiar and comfortable with Georgetown University and his possible future teammates. Then I read where Coach Lowe can’t even speak a word to Wright at basketball camp because it not considered an official visit. Is John Thompson III, the coach at Georgetown, on extended leave or does he walk out of the gym every time Wright shows up? Is he getting the inside track on Wright simply because of proximity? Just like Davis/ Seton Hall. It just doesn’t quite add up to me.

  4. bTHEredterror 07/10/2006 at 9:12 PM #

    There will always be a built in geographical advantage, I think the rule allowing recruits to visit a school anytime they want was made to foster such reaction. Since Wright can get to G’town 5 hours quicker and easier than NC State, it stands to reason he would be there more often.

    That doesn’t necessarily put us in a disadvantage, though. This kid reminds me of many in the DC area talents through the years, in that they love the ACC because DC has always had more of a southern bent (or at least not as northern), rather than the big city mentality of the Big East. Where I think we’re at a disadvantage is that G’town runs a Princeton variant, and Wright had said in interviews he was attracted to the offense Herb ran, and probably felt Herb was the original (at least the one who “popularized”) coach to employ use of the Princeton at a major program. Several Pro teams (New Orleans, New Jersey, and Sacramento) run this style of offense. Obviously it is run vastly different with NBA talent and a 24 second clock, but Wright may feel his talents and mindset towards the game fit in the Princeton better than in other offense schemes.

    If that is the case, I’m with Fred and no great loss. The good news I pick up from his list however is that none of the other schools run this offense, or present a great step up over us. IF he wants to venture out of DC (really who would want to stay there that didn’t get voted in), I think he’ll wear the Red and White. If not, Focus on J-mac and 2008.

  5. redfred2 07/10/2006 at 11:36 PM #

    bTHEredterror- Whoa, hold on there, I said I didn’t have any personal knowledge as whether Wright was that good or not, but I didn’t say no great loss. From what I have read just recently this could have been one of Herb’s biggest recruiting successes.

    The difference between this and normal location as a factor in recruiting, is that Wright had already signaled his intent to attend NCSU. Davis and Werner had signed what was supposedly an “official” document. Will we hate Georgetown University and Seton Hall even more than before because of their willingness to step in when we were down? Probably. Will those two universities be looked down upon by all other universities and potential recruits as undesirables for readily stepping in on our territory when the opportunity presented itself? The answer is a flat out NO.

    I was just wondering because that is what many have said would have happened to NC State if any effort or resistance was shown beyond just allowing these recruits to walk without even honoring THEIR word or their signed documents. Those same people were thinking that the totally unnoticed nobility of a jesture like letting the many hours and dollars already spent on recruiting and signing these players just slip away would be the right thing to do. Thinking that letting them forget their LOI’s would somehow garner NC State great respect from all the other universities in the land, also have a big impact on all of the other teenaged recruits watching out there, and benefit the Wolfpack basketball program in the long run.

    Well, has it? Not hardly, and don’t be counting on it ever having any affect at any time in the future. It was a poor judgement and NC State’s immediate loss, nothing more.

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