WRAL: Pack’s Hickson “Trying to Get to” the NBA

07-08 Basketball NCS Basketball147

Would N.C. State freshman J.J. Hickson turn professional after one season?

Perhaps. On Tuesday, in one-on-one interview with WRAL, he addressed whether he’d consider the NBA after this season.

“Being a competitor, the next level is the NBA. That’s what I’m trying to get to,” Hickson said. “If the opportunity is there, I’ll look at it then and sit down with my parents and my coaching staff.

“If it’s not there, I wouldn’t mind coming back to school and doing another year or however many it takes.”

About StateFans

'StateFansNation' is the shared profile used by any/all of the dozen or so authors that contribute to the blog. You may not always agree with us, but you will have little doubt about where we stand on most issues. Please follow us on Twitter and FaceBook

07-08 Basketball NCS Basketball

147 Responses to WRAL: Pack’s Hickson “Trying to Get to” the NBA

  1. gcpack 02/26/2008 at 10:27 PM #

    Is this a baby blue website?? I am sick of talking and reading about flopbrough. Any of you that want to keep talking about the Oscar award winning bull in a china shop go to the baby blue website.

    Some of you , inlcuding myself, complain about the kid gloves treatment the flopbrough and baby blue U. get but so far in this blog most of the convo has nothing to do with STATE.

    If we have given up on basketball for this season then lets take another sport our school fields. But at least talk about STATE.
    To hell with the attention of flopbrough.

  2. newt 02/26/2008 at 10:27 PM #

    Hell, when I was 19, I quit school ’cause I made regional stockroom manager at the mall.

    Those were the days …

  3. Noah 02/26/2008 at 10:31 PM #

    The average power forward in the NBA is 6-10. Hansborough is 6-7. MAYBE 6-8.

    I go back to that moment where Singler just absolutely ABUSED him in their first game. When Kyle Singler makes you look like you’re stuck in cement, what do you think the athletes of the NBA are going to do?

    Average shooter. He can’t pass ANYWHERE near as brilliantly as Walton (no one other than Arvidas Sabonis can). He’s short. Why again is he a first-round pick?

  4. Ed89 02/26/2008 at 10:33 PM #

    ^^^Good one, Newt. College wasn’t a cake-walk. Some of us remember the good times of college, but not the early morning classes, mid-terms, and late night cram sessions….and most of us didn’t play D-1 basketball.

  5. packpigskinfan23 02/26/2008 at 10:34 PM #

    Average shooter. He can’t pass ANYWHERE near as brilliantly as Walton (no one other than Arvidas Sabonis can). He’s short. Why again is he a first-round pick?

    because the NBA sucks?!

  6. turfpack 02/26/2008 at 10:37 PM #

    AMEN-packpigskinfan23-WHO WATCHES THE NBA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WHO CARES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  7. Rochester 02/26/2008 at 10:39 PM #

    I predict McCauley and Costner return to their 2006-07 form if Hickson leaves and the team is better for it, despite the loss of their physically most talented player (JJ).

    As to them being called prima donnas for not wanting to share the floor, I disagree. I think it’s more a case of JJ being handed everything from day one. He would have earned the starting job eventually anyway, but I’d be a little tweaked myself to see the coach just hand it over when I had to earn it in my turn. Regardless, many of the chemistry issues that have been brought up throughout the season are rooted in that friction, and they will likely leave when Hickson does. I’m not trying to dump that at his feet by any means, but there are often different rules for superstars, from Little League to pro sports. I suspect that was the case here, whether JJ asked for special treatment or not.

  8. Rochester 02/26/2008 at 10:44 PM #

    One other point before bedtime. If Hickson leaves as many of us suspected he would all along, I think it underscores that there is a time for a program to take a one-and-done guy and there’s a time not to. When you’re rebuilding, as we are, is not the time. When you’re a Carmelo Anthony away from a title, that’s the time to take a piece to get you over the top. I hope we’re there in a couple years, but until then it’s best to build with players who will stick around for at least 2-3 years.

  9. statered 02/26/2008 at 10:50 PM #

    “I think it’s more a case of JJ being handed everything from day one. He would have earned the starting job eventually anyway, but I’d be a little tweaked myself to see the coach just hand it over when I had to earn it in my turn.”

    Neither Ben nor Brandon earned anything. Starting jobs were theirs by default. Just learn to accept the fact that they are not very good. Wow, big time players on a team that was 5-11 in the league. Big deal, there have been lots of guys like that in the league are hardly anyone remembers their names.

  10. cowdog 02/26/2008 at 10:50 PM #

    Apologize for bringing Hans into the Hickson thread.

    Hope someone reads my initial relationship to it.

    And know that I never stated Walton was the best…only IMPRESSIVE as is Hansb.

    God how we can carry on. Sometimes I feel like tis site talks thru soup cans and string.

    And it was my stash not Walton’s in the hotel that night in Greensboro, please make no mistake.

    Sleep well fellow Wolfcrackers.

  11. RAWFS 02/26/2008 at 10:58 PM #

    Hansborough is the most impressive post guy since…let’s say Walton.

    Get with Tom Burleson and ask him about Walton. He might show you Walton’s ass, because Burleson owned it when it mattered.

    Walton was a great player in college, no doubt about it. Just keep in mind who ended UCLA’s rule breakin’ run of titles. THompson, Towe, Burleson, Rivers and Spence.

  12. gcpack 02/26/2008 at 11:02 PM #

    Rochester, I am not so sure that taking a top recruit that will leave in 1 year is such a bad thing considering that Lowe needed to establish himself in the recruiting arena. At that time it might have helped show that the really good players are giving Lowe a chance.

    On the other hand GaTech keeps getting recruits that have great freshman years and leave. It does seem like the Jackets don’t ever get traction.

    Overall it shouldn’t be a frequent practice but a coach has to pick his spots. I think JJ was a good idea even if Lowe said come to State and leave in 1 year. Creates credibility in the program and the coach.

  13. packpigskinfan23 02/26/2008 at 11:11 PM #

    I noticed that some of you are saying(and this is not pointing anyone out today, just a observation from the whole season) that JJ should have earned his starting position. Now this is something that I fully agree SHOULD be the situation, however if the only way we could get a guy like John Wall was to guarantee him a starting job from day 1, would you not want Lowe to do it?

    Wow… thats one hell of a sentence, but I think you guys get my point.

    Its a tough situation to be in, but decisions have to be made. I think Coach Lowe did what he thought would be best for NCSU basketball.

  14. turfpack 02/26/2008 at 11:13 PM #

    RAWFS,good point-Burleson help end his rein at UCLA.Can’t stand to see or hear him on TV -college or PROS-Massive f$#%&*%^ know it all.

  15. choppack1 02/26/2008 at 11:16 PM #

    “He can’t pass ANYWHERE near as brilliantly as Walton (no one other than Arvidas Sabonis can)”

    If you haven’t already you need to watch Kevin Love play the game. He throws incredible outlet passes. He looks like he’s about 25 lbs overweight and could be quicker. However, very smart ball player -fun to watch. (I need that this year, not been watching a lot of fun b’ball.)

  16. blackdom 02/26/2008 at 11:19 PM #

    We are acting very sad now……..It is no wonder we are perceived as 3rd fiddle in the area ……….We are talking not about us and what to do to get things right,but we are all takin hasbro.
    JJ good bye its been nice but it was never going to work out. Lowes got to go too!
    And at least the tech guys when it is one and done they got the job done in their one year .

  17. RBCRowdy 02/26/2008 at 11:30 PM #

    What are you going to tell me next? JJ didn’t grow up a State fan?

    I can’t handle these bombshells………..

  18. Trip 02/26/2008 at 11:37 PM #

    rofl @ RBCRowdy

  19. beowolf 02/26/2008 at 11:37 PM #

    Funny. I’ve never, ever before heard a fellow Wolfpacker call us “Wolfcrackers” and rave on and on about the awesome greatness of a Carolina player.

    I’m just sayin’.

  20. Ed89 02/26/2008 at 11:46 PM #

    ^^^concur beowolf.
    Cowdog…Cow college — dog vs. wolf — think about it…

  21. xphoenix87 02/27/2008 at 12:06 AM #

    Alright cowdog, you want big men who were more “impressive”?

    Ralph Sampson
    – 3 time National POY
    – 17 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 3.5 BPG, 56.8% FG

    Tim Duncan
    – 3 time All-ACC, 2 time ACC POY, National POY
    – 2nd in blocks in NCAA history
    – 16.5 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 3.76 BPG, 57.7% FG

    Shaquille O’Neal
    – 2 time All-American, National POY
    – 21.6 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 4.58 BPG, 61% FG

    Patrick Ewing
    – 3 time All-American, National POY, NCAA Tourney MOP
    – 15.3 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 3.45 BPG, 62% FG

    This is, of course, completely disregarding the fact that these guys all actually looked impressive when you watched them and were legitimate defensive forces, whereas Hansbrough is a mediocre defender at best. I could throw out more names, but that’s enough to make my point.

  22. Astral Rain 02/27/2008 at 12:07 AM #

    Honestly, if you were Hickson, would you want to stay around this dysfunctional madhouse? I will not be mad at all if he goes, nor should anyone else be. Besides, that free education- he works for it and he generates some revenue for the uni.

  23. cowdog 02/27/2008 at 6:10 AM #

    Good point Beowolf and Ed89. But, we’ve been called Cow College since the day I set foot on the Brickyard and I’m very surprised that you’ve never heard the term Wolfcrackers.

    Look,I don’t give a rats ass about Hansb. I do however, care about competing and that’s UNC does and the post man they have is dominating.

    We by comparison do not or cannot compete and we have a Frehman post man eager to leave or at the very best leaning towards it.

  24. 44fan 02/27/2008 at 6:59 AM #

    I just as soon, the only ray of light on our team, stay another year.

  25. Stoner 02/27/2008 at 7:37 AM #

    The guy who really killed his NBA chances by staying in college was Josh McRoberts. He would’ve been a high to mid-first rounder if he left after his freshman year. By staying in school and not developing, he killed his draft stock.

    If Hickson can be a first round pick, I don’t blame him for going. Making 2-3 million, at a minimum, over a couple of years, is more than any of us will make in the same period. That’s a nice nest egg to start off your adult life with, even if he doesn’t stick around the NBA.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Leave a Reply