Costner Will Not Return for 2009-10

08-09 Basketball 09-10 Basketball73

costnerjpg I have made reference to this several times in comments, but I finally have a link to back up what I’ve heard from multiple sources:

NB: How many years are you planning on staying in college?
BC: This is my fourth year, so it’s probably my last year.

NB: Aren’t you a redshirt junior?
BC: Yeah, I am, but I’m graduating early, so I don’t really want to stay too far back.

NB: You don’t plan on doing a grad school year and playing your senior season [of eligibility]?
BC: No.

I don’t know anything about this particular website, but it’s 100% consistent with what we have heard all year. So, when you project the Wolfpack roster for next season, assume we will need to replace all of Costner’s offensive contributions (in addition to that of Fells and McCauley). That will be a significant challenge for the 2009-10 Wolfpack.

About BJD95

1995 NC State graduate, sufferer of Les and MOC during my entire student tenure. An equal-opportunity objective critic and analyst of Wolfpack sports.

08-09 Basketball 09-10 Basketball

73 Responses to Costner Will Not Return for 2009-10

  1. Classof89 01/30/2009 at 9:52 AM #

    I guaran-damn-tee you the people saying bad things about Costner are going to be singing a different tune next year, when we will have an awful front court to go with our awful back court…

    The other amusing psychological observation, VAWolf, is that the great player that is going to cure all our problems is always the player who hasn’t yet enrolled/played here (Howell, Scott Woods, etc.) Then, when they experience the inevitable spotty production and dumb mistakes that ALL freshmen in the ACC make, no matter their level of talent, they’ll get the same shabby treatment Costner is getting now…

  2. wufpup76 01/30/2009 at 9:56 AM #

    ^I think that sums it up about BC nicely, VA …

    “Smith is going to have to step it up big-time and so far I’d say he has.”

    ^I agree. I really like Tracy’s game – but he did turn a little black-holish the other night and it cost us a couple of possessions when he held the ball too long and either got up a poor, contested shot or turned it over … Up to that point, I had been reasonably impressed w/ Tracy’s ability to pass out of the post – especially out of a double team

    I hope the other night was the exception … He’s not as good a passer as either Ben or Brandon, but as long as he can swing the ball or find a cutter it would help our offensive efficiency tremendously

    He kinda looked like JJ some the other night, who for as great as he was could not (or would not) pass the ball … No knock on JJ – he was tremendous, but passing was easily the weakest part of his game and it did affect ball movement

  3. LKNpackfan 01/30/2009 at 9:59 AM #

    Good observation, VA.
    I’ll also say – A lot of these comments are idiotic and completely ungrounded. Remember guys, your words here are open to the public. Everyone reads this site – players, coaches, administrators, boosters, staff from other programs, media – everyone. Don’t say anything here that you wouldn’t say openly to Costner himself.
    I honestly pray that Brandon reconsiders and returns next year. I don’t know when the deadline for a grad school application is, but I hope he at least keeps his options open. We would be a much better team with him, and, I feel he could be a much better player if he sticks with it.
    If anything, the disagreement over #33’s decision is rooted with the coaching staff. IMO, it is a very telling sign when a team’s best player decides to leave before his eligibility is up, not because he’s being poached by the next level, but because he’s just ready to turn the page. It’s also very telling that the best player on a big-time tobacco road ACC team isn’t a lock to be drafted at next level. With that said, we knew then and we know now that Sid is learning on the job. Let’s hope the learning continues, there’s plenty of room for more improvement.

  4. GAWolf 01/30/2009 at 10:00 AM #

    I agree with VAWolf completely.

    I’ve been saying for some time that our “go to guys” would be quality support personnel on a really good team. Costner is good, but he’s not great. I will certainly hate to see him go, especially given that at least in theory he would be better next year than this year. (In theory being key there.)

    Nonetheless, our best players are more the role players on excellent teams that support great players and contribute enough to make a couple of great players super.

    Without some significant change, I wouldn’t see Costner as a preseason candidate for conference player of the year should he stay. 3 years ago I would have said if we got his full eligibility out of him he would easily BE the CPOY at some point.

  5. BJD95 01/30/2009 at 10:04 AM #

    VA is spot on. We’re just rationalizing, trying to find something to grasp onto for hope.

    This is why landing Cousins would be every bit as important as landing Wall (if not more so). Unfortunately, I’m almost certain that we’ll get neither.

  6. BoKnowsNCS71 01/30/2009 at 10:11 AM #

    Wow. It’s great that he is getting his degree. That helps show our kids are getting an education and will improve our grade in the NCAA rankings.

    Hate to see him go but at least he is not taking the Cam Sexton route and going off to play in a Div. II school.

  7. wufpup76 01/30/2009 at 10:18 AM #

    “This is why landing Cousins would be every bit as important as landing Wall (if not more so). Unfortunately, I’m almost certain that we’ll get neither.”

    ^Really? I don’t keep up w/ recruiting as much as I should, but thought we were in fair shape to land Wall (still a strong contender in other words)

    Sorry to take the thread off on a tangent … Just interested to know about where we stand w/ respect to Wall

  8. LKNpackfan 01/30/2009 at 10:57 AM #

    There’s a big difference between Sexton’s transfer and Costner’s graduation. Sexton knows he’ll be buried on the depth chart, and is being encouraged to leave to free up a scholarship. We actually need Costner as a starter.

  9. Astral Rain 01/30/2009 at 11:04 AM #

    No reason to get mad. He has nothing to gain by staying really.

    1 year of grad school won’t help his earnings any- as he will go pro somewhere and make about 100k at least. If he saves his pro money he’ll have a good life.

    Besides, if he was angry at State- he could do a free transfer anywhere due to NCAA regs I think without even sitting out a year since he graduated like Kruger’s kid at UNLV (It was Kruger right?- I know it was UNLV)

  10. Gene 01/30/2009 at 11:18 AM #

    Also, some people aren’t in love with academics after four years of college. Taking grad school classes is a bit more academically demanding than taking an elective pass / fail at the local community college.

    Maybe he’s just done with studying. I know I was immediately after graduating. Life without homework is very seductive. 🙂

  11. happypackdad 01/30/2009 at 12:06 PM #

    We’re in good shape with both Wall & Cousins. I think we have a better shot with Wall, Cousins seems to have a Memphis lean right now.

  12. newt 01/30/2009 at 12:07 PM #

    Terrific job to graduate in 4 years. That took lots of hard work.

    I’m sure Brandon wishes State had won more games during his time here; however it’s not over yet.

    Lots of players leave after 3 years WITHOUT graduating; Brandon’s work here is done.

    We could definitely use a 6’9″+, 200+ pounder on the roster next year.

  13. happypackdad 01/30/2009 at 12:08 PM #

    “As for BC, he was on the bench for the end of both of our ACC victories. Coincidence?

    He scored 22 and 21 points in each of our ACC victories. Coincidence?”

    EXACTLY

  14. frankiepack 01/30/2009 at 12:45 PM #

    Wall and Cousins stop.They are not coming here ,we are grasping at straws and all it is doing is buying Sid more time.

  15. MP 01/30/2009 at 12:54 PM #

    Glad the comments steered away from “good riddance”, etc. He is on our freaking team playing 30+ minutes and putting forth effort and production every game. Maybe he will help us win some more games this year. He doesn’t have to be 1st team All-ACC to get our support.

    To any fan who has already written him off: Let’s say he plays a great game in the first round of the ACC tourney and is the player most responsible for a State win in that game. Will you allow yourself to be happy with the win?

  16. ktoh 01/30/2009 at 1:00 PM #

    BC played a huge role in what little success we had during the “Low” era.
    I firmly believe he has played his butt off for us.

  17. ryebread 01/30/2009 at 2:24 PM #

    Unlike most who post on here, I absolutely love Costner. He plays hard, fights for boards, has a nice jumper and has been a rock for us despite playing through some fairly serious injuries. He’s also stayed out of trouble and gotten a degree. That’s exactly what you’d want out of a student athlete.

    This will hurt us badly and I’ll be sad to see him go. We will severely miss his interior grit, exterior jump shot, effort, consistent scoring (he’s our leader btw), solid defense and coolness under pressure. It will not be replaced (IMHO) by anyone we have coming in or anyone we have sitting on our bench.

    If we miss on Cousins (which I expect we will), we really need to go the JUCO route for a big man. We’re going to be woefully thin up front.

  18. Alpha Wolf 01/30/2009 at 3:08 PM #

    I doubt Wall and Cousins come here. I am not worried about it, and besides, I don’t think these are the guys that will make our program solid year-in-year-out.

    Give me a guy who wants to come for 3-4 years, put in the work and make himself a solid player that’s a team player and a guy that we can all look up to.

  19. wufpup76 01/30/2009 at 4:08 PM #

    ^I tend to agree w/ that line of thinking in general, Alpha

  20. redfred2 01/31/2009 at 12:47 AM #

    “Well, this is it … HWSNBN’s guys will (mostly) be gone, then at least THAT debate will be over starting next season”

    What in THE HELL are you talking about boy???

    THAT debate, Debate I, The Great One, as I now like to call it, will continue on forever. It will stay alive in infamy, for as long as I can possibly apply the shocker paddles, give it mouth to mouth, and massage it’s little heart to keep it recessitated and showing even the slightest signs of life around here.

    Brain dead, or not, no matter. I, redfred, brain dead, or not, will keep that puppy alive for everyone’s continued reading enjoyment for as long as is humanly possible. Count on it. 🙂

  21. wufpup76 01/31/2009 at 1:18 AM #

    ^Fair enough, redfred

  22. PoppaJohn 01/31/2009 at 4:54 AM #

    “… we’d be awful without him. …”

    Much of the time we are awful with him.

    Granted, he’s had his moments, just like Sid, but neither have been consistently hitting the mark.

    That said, let’s see another miracle in Raleigh,

    BEAT CAROLINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  23. pakfanistan 01/31/2009 at 8:48 PM #

    Costner undecided on next season

    N.C. State forward Brandon Costner said he has not decided whether he will return for his senior season despite an Internet report that indicates he is leaving.

    A junior who redshirted when he was a freshman, Costner said the interview for Northstar Basketball Blog was done last summer.

    “I definitely didn’t definitively say I’m leaving,” Costner said. “Just another one of those crazy Internet rumors that goes around about me. I’d rather people just shut up and stop making up stuff.”

    Costner said he will sit down with N.C. State’s coaches at the end of the season to discuss his future.

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