Lorenzo Brown Commits!

Basketball Recruiting62

NC State’s Basketball program received an important commitment from a key member of the high school class of 2009 when Lorenzo Brown, a 6-4 175 pound a combo guard from Alpharetta (GA) Centennial ended months of speculation and provided the Wolfpack a verbal commitment on Sunday.

Brown is a consensus Top 25 player in the country and averaged 25 points and 9 rebounds per game in his junior season. Brown had various scholarship offers and was also considering Memphis, Texas, UConn and Florida.

Brown plays the point guard position but projects more as a combo guard in college because of his ability to score in a variety of ways. The case for Brown to play the wing at State is made stronger because of the commitment from earlier this month of his good friend, class of 2010’s Ryan Harrow – a pure point guard whose recruitment was recently featured here on SFN.

Brown’s abilities should complement fellow 2009 commit, Scott Wood‘s abilities nicely. Wood is an outside sharpshooting specialist whose height creates mismatches for defenses. Brown’s balance of athleticism, shooting and playmaking ability (either from the point or the shooting guard) will create important balance and valuable spacing on the perimeter.

Coach Sidney Lowe’s recruiting has undeniably hit a very nice gear as all of the Wolfpack’s 2009 and 2010 commitments project to be immediate contributors within the program. The Wolfpack’s future roster projects as follows and indicates a glaring need to land some bigger bodies to play in the post:

Projected 2008-2009 NC State Basketball Roster

Senior Class
(1) Courtney Fells (Wing)
(2) Ben McCauley (F/C)

Junior Class
(3) Brandon Costner (F)
(4) Trevor Ferguson (G)
(5) Dennis Horner (F)
(6) Fernold Degand (PG)
(7) Marques Johnson (PG/SG)

Sophomore Class
(8) Javi Gonzalez (PG)
(9) Tracy Smith (4F)

Freshman Class
(10) Johnny Thomas (Wing)
(11) Julius Mays (PG/SG)
(12) CJ Williams (Wing)

HS Sr Commits
(13) Scott Wood (SG)
(1) Lorenzo Brown (SG, PG, Wing) (Courtney Fells Scholarship)
(2) Open – [Post player/center along the lines of Derrick Favors and/or Richard Howell] (Ben McCauley’s Scholarship)
(3/4/5/6/7) Potential open from potential departure in junior class

HS Junior Commitments
(4) CJ Leslie (F)
(5) Ryan Harrow (PG)
(6) Open
(7) Open

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Basketball Recruiting

62 Responses to Lorenzo Brown Commits!

  1. BigRed 07/27/2008 at 1:16 PM #

    Yip! Great Signing.

    SFN: Verbal commitment. No signings until November

  2. graywolf 07/27/2008 at 1:18 PM #

    Great news…..let’s hope this type of news continues in the future!

  3. ShootingGuard 07/27/2008 at 1:57 PM #

    “Brown picked North Carolina State over interest from Florida, Texas and Memphis.”

    If you want to beat the best teams on the court with any regularity or a decent percentage beyond a lucky game here or there, you have to first beat them on the recruiting front and/or get top level players that top level winning programs want with regularity and a decent percentage beyond an occasional high level guy…

    No program can be saved by one player. Brown, Wood, Leslie, Harrow are a great start at a complete team for the future. Hopefully, we will see some beef added alongside those guys soon…Brown and Harrow need to work on some guys they know…

  4. redfred2 07/27/2008 at 2:21 PM #

    Well, it’s happening, Lowe is getting the type of players that everyone wanted to see starting to commit around here. The recruiting part, which is only NOW, and finally, being done correctly “for” NC STATE, is becoming THE upside for Sidney Lowe and staff. Like I’ve been saying for years already, when it’s appreciated and used properly, NC State’s legacy does still mean something out there.

    If Lowe wants it, he will also earn a commitment from John Wall as well.

    Next step for this coach and staff is getting some priorities in order and following through for the sake of these kids, as well as for the sake of NC State University and it’s fans.

  5. choppack1 07/27/2008 at 2:29 PM #

    This is a nice committment and a big one.

    I’d like to see us get Ryan Kelly. It’s one thing to lose out on Wall. He’s a superstar and is being seen as a one and doner. It’s quite another when you have a solid Top 50 prospect in your city who looks like a 4 year guy AND who has climbed the rankings ladder lately.

  6. b 07/27/2008 at 2:33 PM #

    Great news. I agree Redfred, as long as we as fans continue to support our teams as solidly as we have, our legacy will revive and sooner than we may expect (though not as soon as we might like). And alot of revisionist history in reference to it will have to be revised yet again.

  7. wufpup76 07/27/2008 at 2:39 PM #

    suh-weet 🙂 … now, let’s get some big guys

  8. Afterglow 07/27/2008 at 2:47 PM #

    I think this year will tell a lot about our situation regardless of who we sign. It’s evident that a lot our problems last year hinged on poor fundamentals, desire and a lack of efficient point guard play. That’s a lot to fix in the off season but I believe some of those things can be mended. I will become less optimistic if those things aren’t fixed but for right now I’ll remain hopeful. I welcome the likes of Lorenzo Brown; it’s great and hopefully will lead to other recruits and is a necessary part in building a program.

    When in comes down to it, it doesn’t matter who we sign if Lowe can’t reign in what we have in Brandon Costner and Ben McCauley among others (and) can’t squeeze decent point guard play from anyone of the said point guards. In the past, under certain circumstances, we’ve done more with less. In essence, we need someone who can optimize the abilities of everyone whether they are highly recruited high school players or not. We need a coach who can coach and I’m hopeful that Lowe will be able to deliver the goods.

    I look at Davidson, a school that before last year would not have been looked at as a formidable opponent or George Mason a while back; schools that were able to compete and did it with players that weren’t highly recruited out of high school. I understand a few factors come into play here like: a weaker conference schedule, momentum that builds in a tournament where people start believing in themselves and start to do amazing things and perhaps one guy who just comes out of the blue. At the same time, with the players we have (I think) we should be able to play competitively and win some games.

  9. redfred2 07/27/2008 at 2:54 PM #

    chop, I watched video on Lorenzo Brown from a link that someone provided on another thread, and then a video on Kelly automatically came on right after Brown’s video was over. Kelly did look solid and multi-dimensional, but I thought he was all but a lock for the guys in powder blue?

  10. Afterglow 07/27/2008 at 2:54 PM #

    I remain doubtful that Lowe will be able to land Wall. I in fact think we will hear something from Wall this week. I do have a kernel of hope that maybe a favor will be done but agree that in the long term, a player like Kelly would help sustain a solid foundation.

    I kind of though Kelly was leaning more towards Davidson for some reason.

  11. redfred2 07/27/2008 at 3:06 PM #

    Afterglow, you are correct, it doesn’t matter right now. Lowe has to begin somewhere and start teaching whoever he has suited up, how to play fundamental BB. With this season’s line up, the low expectations, it would the optimum time for him to begin engraining a no compromise attitude, and do just that.

  12. ShootingGuard 07/27/2008 at 3:08 PM #

    ^

    I like Davidson as much as the next guy, but didn’t they lose to the last place ACC team last year? What was Davidson’s overall ACC record last year? How long has McKillop been at Davidson again? I give credit to Davidson for challenging the heavy weights, but, really, they have nothing to lose. They can lose all those games, as they did last year, and still feel sure about going to the NCAA’s and becoming a media darling if they knock someone off. Davidson’s success formula right now is a lot like Notre Dame football’s in the olden days: beat no one all year, get to the big stage, win a big game, and enjoy the outpouring of the media’s love.

    That said, Davidson had solid point guard play all year and a lights out shooter. Those 2 things cure A LOT of ills. State had neither all year last year and suffered much misery. Those 2 ills have not been fixed for this year, so I expect more of the same. Brandon and Ben will likely show renewed energy this year, but they won’t come close to realizing their full potential with the backcourt State has this coming year. Sad but true, it is a guards’ game.

    This season will not prove much more than a reflection of the glaring fact that State needs a dramatic overhaul in the backcourt…Hopefully, Brown, Harrow, and Wood will prove to be the long overdue improvement…

  13. redfred2 07/27/2008 at 3:28 PM #

    Not different coaching strategies coming from the bench, not watching athletic ability flare up and then quickly fade away, but just to see someone come into the program and consistently play a little INTELLIGENT basketball ON THEIR OWN, that would be just too good to be true.

  14. Afterglow 07/27/2008 at 3:30 PM #

    Agree redfred2 which goes hand in hand with what I was going to say.

    I still think that solid point guard play is possible. Perhaps with that, a shooter will emerge. As for the other things, we (I think) already have those resources; they just need to be tapped.

    After all, if you don’t have someone who can bring up the ball with out turning it over and one who plays fundamentally sound basketball making heady plays-the other things are bound to fall apart regardless of who you have. I understand our lack of ability in other areas and know they need to be fixed but at the point guard, we don’t need a star for right now. At the point guard, we just need the basics and I believe the other things will follow.

  15. StateFans 07/27/2008 at 3:48 PM #

    With the mix of players that we have and have committed…if I had only ONE scholarship I think that I am now at the point of rathering getting Kelly than Wall.

  16. redfred2 07/27/2008 at 4:04 PM #

    Statefans, There is much for Lowe and staff to weigh out here, and I don’t envy them for sure.

    As far as Kelly, I haven’t watched that much video on him, much less than I have on Wall for sure, but in the few clips that I have seen, Kelly was very impressive. Of course we’re seeing only the bright spots, but he looks like the type of kid/player whose confident demeanor could set the tone for an entire team.

  17. Afterglow 07/27/2008 at 4:14 PM #

    In response to StateFans-Wall’s starting to turn into a bad aftertaste for me. Kind of like after eating something that seemed pretty good at the time and then vurping it up only regret it upon second swallow.

    With that said, I’m ready to move on.

  18. howlie 07/27/2008 at 5:02 PM #

    Congrats to the staff on a big get–many supposed this commitment was made months ago and held until now.

    My only curiousity is ‘Why NOW?,’ and what ‘plot twist’ is the timing of this announcement meant to set in motion?

    That’s the real article…

  19. RBCRowdy 07/27/2008 at 5:10 PM #

    I swear he used to be a 5 star. *If* he was, that is the type of crap that makes me hate these sites (when they hype up players going to certain programs).

  20. E-RO 07/27/2008 at 5:49 PM #

    He was a 5 star a couple months ago.

    Why now instead of a few months ago (when we’ve lead and no one else has really been in the convo since then)? Word is that Lo Brown wanted to get his teammates more looks from colleges. That sounds like a team player.

    I’d also like to see Kelly join the class. If we can land him (this may be a 4+ man class because Thomas might not be able to come back from his injury, sadly) and maybe Howell or Favors, we’ll have a very strong core (with Favors leaving, we’d still have a lot) for the next 4 years.

  21. redfred2 07/27/2008 at 6:04 PM #

    What exactly, is the latest on Thomas?

  22. blpack 07/27/2008 at 6:19 PM #

    Great pick up, but we have to keep adding talent.
    To me: Kelly > Wall.
    I hope we can add a big man, or two.

  23. DAMangum 07/27/2008 at 6:31 PM #

    I heard Thomas has a degenerative knee problem, like Albert Belle had with his hip, which leads to continuous problems and probably a slim chance of Thomas ever playing for us. But do you guys really want Wall? I know I don’t! Think of last season with Hickson, someone that holds his own interest above that of the team. It would probably hurt our program if Wall comes in and tries to get his numbers so he can be a lottery pick. I hope he goes somewhere else, probably who hires his AAU coach (douche) and who probably gives Wall something under the table. You ever wonder why Baylor is one of his top teams? Hmmmm? Coach Lowe just find us a big body that rebounds and plays good post defense and the team will be fine!

  24. Afterglow 07/27/2008 at 6:38 PM #

    I’m not necessarily against one coming in and trying to get his numbers to be a lottery pick provided those numbers equate to: more assist, more points, smart basketball and winning games and championships. However, I do agree, Wall seems less appetizing to me. Getting a big in there will be good for us.

    Inevitably we’re gong to come across one and donners; I think that’s going to be the trend as you can’t turn down talent. But blending that with three to four year solid players will prove to be good as well.

  25. Afterglow 07/27/2008 at 6:51 PM #

    I’m not sure I agree that Hickson held his own interest above the team. He tried harder than anyone of those guys and had better production all around as well. If each player had the same tenacity that Hickson had than no one would be complaining. The reality is that we had a team that sucked around Hickson.

    Hickson went to college to (like most folks) pursue his career-no one can blame him for that. He put forth effort that extends beyond what most of his other team mates did. This doesn’t take away from the efforts by other fan favorite players put forth but it is to say that Hickson came to play every day. I’ll take a Hickson on my team any day.

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