We HOPE last week was also great for basketball (Updated 9:10 am)

Basketball Recruiting General NCS Basketball149

Where is Jerry Stackhouse, Jeff McInnis and Ray Allen when you need them?

SFN hated for the sun to go down on Friday night because it meant that the previous 24 hours had to end! In addition to the great day for the Wolfpack football program on Thursday/Friday, NC State/Sidney Lowe’s basketball recruiting put together a fantastic 24 hours and gathered an awful lot of momentum. Unfortunately, as any NC State fan knows…old “Uncle Mo” never seems to stick around for very long in Raleigh and you have to enjoy him while he is around.

First, we have heard that one of the top prospects of the class of 2008 – CJ Williams of Fayetteville – was in attendance in Carter-Finley on Thursday night. The Wolfpack has targeted the well balanced (academic/athletic/character) Williams and some believe he is a candidate for a very early commitment to the Wolfpack. In addition to Williams, SFN heard that (commit) Johnny Thomas and (prospect) Tracy Smith may have also taken unofficial visits for the game on Thursday night. We do not know if all three players attended together.

On Thursday/Friday, Chris Wright announced his intention to hold a press conference (today) to announce his final choice of college. As horrible as the story is — it seems that Wright was set to announce for NC State. (More detail later) But, last night something turned on a dime and suddenly the mood in Raleigh is not nearly as ecstatic. Regardless of where Wright chooses to attend college, at least the “Chris Wright saga” will come to a close today.

If Wright does NOT announce for the Pack, then we would expect that Rashad Green‘s commitment to State will become publicly firm soon after. (Link to Green’s profile) The Pack needs another young body in the backcourt to tandem with Courtney Fells who will be starting for the next three years.

Make no mistake that Wright’s presence was going to be key to quickly elevating NC State’s basketball program in the next two to three years. However, this potential scenario is EXACTLY why Coach Lowe and staff accepted the transfer of Iowa State guard, Fernold Degand. (See this link). Recruiting experts do not posit Degand as a Chris Wright, but Degand is an improving point guard with three years of eligibility in the program after he sits out this season. After Engin Atsur exhausts his eligibility this season, a nucleus of Fells-Degand-Green may have to suffice for a year or two until Coach Lowe has time to get positioned for top talent of his own choosing.

Also last Friday, JJ Hickson announced that he was cancelling his previously scheduled official visit to Florida and had eliminated the Gators from consideration – leaving only NC State and Tennessee. Although college recruiters did not view Wright and Hickson as a ‘package deal’, the two have developed a relationship and some close to the Wolfpack program previously believed that if Wright would commit to the Pack that Hickson may not be far behind. Hickson will announce his college choice this Thursday – just two days after Wright. Who knows what to think in light of some of the changes to Chris Wright’s status over the last 18 hours? The bad news is that the folks in Tennessee are starting to sound confident about their position with Hickson.

If the Pack does ultimately whiff on a commitment from Hickson, then expect to start hearing names like Joseph Katuka and Mike Scott as key Wolfpack targets for 2007.

IF Sidney Lowe is able to add commitments from both Chris Wright and JJ Hickson to Johnny Thomas, then (in our humble opinion) the Wolfpack would be in a position to be MUCH more selective with our final scholarship of the the 2007 class.

For example, highly recruited forward Tracy Smith will probably wait until spring to commit due to his current academic standing. It wouldn’t be a bad thing to have a scholarship available for Smith…and, it wouldn’t be a bad thing to have SO MUCH talent committed in a class of Wright/Hickson/Thomas that waiting for Smith or other prospects in the spring would not be excessively risky. Additionally, the Wolfpack may have reason to feel very good about 2008 prospect CJ Williams and may therefore prefer to have some additional scholarships available for the class of 2008.

IF NC State does NOT land Wright & Hickson, then a potential commitment from Tracy Smith will actually become even more important to the program in the spring. As painful as (potentially) losing Wright and Hickson at the last hour would be, a future commitment from Smith would insure NC State’s frontcourt the presence of at least TWO Top 50 forwards – Brandon Costner & Smith – for three of the next four years.

Lastly, ESPN’s Andy Katz tried to weigh in with some comments about Andrew Brackman’s status saying that “NC State is still unsure about Brackman’s status”. We won’t argue with the wording of Katz’s headline since it is technically true that NC State continues to hold hope that Andrew Brackman will play basketball this season despite the fact that he has notified coach Lowe of his intentions not to play and despite the fact that he has not been participating in basketball events. We ask for you to click here for our best worded comments and update on the topic.

9:05am Note: We have just checked out some of the implosion that is happening at other NC State websites on the internet as this story gradually breaks. We want to politely let everyone know that this blog is not intended to be used for useless commentary or childish comments. Thanks!

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Basketball Recruiting General NCS Basketball

149 Responses to We HOPE last week was also great for basketball (Updated 9:10 am)

  1. NCSUSix 10/10/2006 at 12:33 PM #

    Wright or Wrong, I am really excited about the upcoming basketball season. Run with the Pack!!

  2. redfred2 10/10/2006 at 12:43 PM #

    ^primacyone

    I was really speaking of my own typing, but about five other posts jumped in between. Me critiquing the keyboard skills of others? I think you’ve seen enough to know better.

  3. class of 74 10/10/2006 at 12:45 PM #

    CT was so bad that he has been described as the main reason UNC is in the hole it finds itself even now. Dave Glenn and others make this claim, I happen to concur.
    The difference is Duke had a spike only while Spurrier was there not prior or afterwards. The records were very, very similar pre and post Spurrier. Ask Frank Dascenzo, the longtime Herald Sun writer, Frank has said the same thing. Besides Brown was there three times as long as Spurrier, no way to compare the two. NO WAY pal.

  4. SuperStuff 10/10/2006 at 12:48 PM #

    Best of luck to the young man no matter what he decides.

  5. Pack Laddie 10/10/2006 at 12:56 PM #

    How in the hell did a discussion about NC State basketball end up focusing on Mack Brown and Steve Spurrier?

  6. class of 74 10/10/2006 at 12:59 PM #

    It was a circuitous route no doubt!

  7. Cardiff Giant 10/10/2006 at 1:02 PM #

    Everything, eventually, ends up focusing on Mack Brown and Steve Spurrier.

  8. class of 74 10/10/2006 at 1:05 PM #

    Or that 2nd sniper on the grassy knoll.

  9. redfred2 10/10/2006 at 1:06 PM #

    They are the light and the way.

  10. Dan 10/10/2006 at 1:12 PM #

    Red prefers Bobby Knight to Steve Spurrier.

  11. primacyone 10/10/2006 at 1:14 PM #

    Lately, it seems to make it all the way back to Herb for some reason.

  12. Trout 10/10/2006 at 1:19 PM #

    “Next year’s squad ought to seriously challenge th 1981 Ga. Tech team as the worst team in the history of the ACC.”

    Hogwash. That team was 0-14 in the ACC. Even Les’ worst NC State teams didnt come close to being as bad as the 1981 Yellow Jackets.

  13. RAWFS 10/10/2006 at 1:21 PM #

    Back to topic – who’s going to attend the young man’s presser? Pack Pride folks, or will it be live on ESPNU or what?

  14. Dan 10/10/2006 at 1:30 PM #

    You know it seems there has been more chatter over at Hoya world regarding JJ Hickson as well. Its listed as he’s been offered by them already, which makes no sense at all. Did JT3 get a couple extra schollies from some scholly fairy.

    Is there about to be some transfer stories out of DC?

  15. tcthdi-tgsf-twhwtnc 10/10/2006 at 1:32 PM #

    I would just as soon not be in the NCAA if the results are anything like that of the Arizona State coach. I couldn’t stand the fact that NC State had become the national joke the Arizona State coach and Fowler seemed to crave.

  16. packbackr04 10/10/2006 at 1:41 PM #

    Dan, im with you, how in the world does Georgetown even have the schollies to offer these kids.. is there no rule about how many schollys you can offer…. and does Wright really want to commit to a school with no openings for him, where he is not going to get the playing time, or the credit he deserves

  17. primacyone 10/10/2006 at 1:41 PM #

    http://www.sportstalk980.com/pages/listenlive.php

    Local DC Sports radio may or may not be there. You can listen live online with free registration.

  18. packbackr04 10/10/2006 at 1:42 PM #

    JTIII must be give the best rimjob in the nation…. ok just kiddin on that one but damn

  19. Dan 10/10/2006 at 1:46 PM #

    Well, if they get commits from JJ and Wright you can guarantee room will be made. Pat Ewing may decide to pay for his kid’s schooling. He can afford it. There may be a transfer. Lots of options there.

  20. redfred2 10/10/2006 at 1:47 PM #

    “Red prefers Bobby Knight to Steve Spurrier.”

    Now that’s a tough one to call!!! ???

    Dan, with all of the talk about G’town scholarship trends, even Bunting’s overloads, I was just wondering how most would feel if the NC State programs did likewise.

  21. primacyone 10/10/2006 at 1:47 PM #

    Looking at the lineup for 980 sports radio. John Thompson, Sr (The former GT coach) is on the air starting at 3:00 PM every day.

  22. Dan 10/10/2006 at 1:51 PM #

    Hey I love Bobby Knight. I’d love to be best friends with that crazy SOB. I’d pay money to get a round of golf with him. I just wouldnt let him coach my team.

    And Red, I would love it if NC State had those kinds of problems. “Gee, I’m sorry prep all-star, we have too many prep all-stars fighting to get in to be able to take you. Maybe go to prep school for a year and we can work something out.” – Yeah, I’d be heartbroken over that.

    JT3 is getting it done.

  23. Pack Laddie 10/10/2006 at 1:55 PM #

    redfred asked—I was just wondering how most would feel if the NC State programs did likewise.

    Jim Valvano used to over-recruit all the time. His stock answer was—we can count.

    The staff would know far better than any of us, who may, or may not be coming back, for whatever reason.

  24. RickJ 10/10/2006 at 2:09 PM #

    ^”Jim Valvano used to over-recruit all the time. His stock answer was—we can count. ”

    I remember this well and it was during the time men’s basketball got 14 or 15 scholarships instead of 13. Later in V’s tenure, he came to the conclusion that we couldn’t keep that many players happy and he reduced his squad size by 2 or 3. Sendek came to the same conclusion during the later half of his tenure. I believe we are going to have to go back to using the full 13 for the time being.

  25. primacyone 10/10/2006 at 2:10 PM #

    In case any of you have not seen DG’s comments today and care to see them to confirm noboby knows buy Chis Wright; here they are from his WRAL blog.

    David Glenn said…
    In response to a dozen or so e-mails this morning regarding Chris Wright. Thank you for listening!!

    This is why I put “disclaimers” on this kind of stuff.

    Many message board posters tend to have very selective listening — I can’t tell you how many times there have been entire threads arguing over something I supposedly said, only they didn’t even get the PERSON right (by the way, I’d estimate that people quoting someone on the radio get something important wrong about 90 percent of the time) because someone else said what was attributed to me — but here’s what I said on the air about Wright, during my Friday and Saturday shows:

    (1) I noted that we haven’t talked directly to Wright for some time, because they shut out the media weeks ago. I emphasized this repeatedly.

    (2) I repeatedly noted that “people who do this stuff for a living” were saying they liked State’s chances. In fact, one website ran a report that Wright was “expected” to pick the Pack. That’s not my report. That’s me passing along what someone else said. During my radio show Friday, someone from one of the NCSU websites told me I shouldn’t use the words “might pick the Wolfpack,” because their “sources” said it was a “done deal.” We’ll see about that.

    (3) I noted that it’s ALWAYS a good idea to be cautious with 17- and 18-year-old kids. I’ve said that 1,000 times.

    I know some people — including the same person whose “sources” the other day said Wright would commit to the Wolfpack — are now claiming that Wright will pick Georgetown.

    I still can’t confirm what’s going to happen. I’m in wait-and-see mode, like most of you. Hopefully, we’ll find out for sure at 3:30 p.m.

    Tue Oct 10, 11:40:09 AM

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