Costner says NorthStar Basketball Blog ‘making stuff up’

08-09 Basketball 09-10 Basketball28

Update: Lowe Says He Hasn’t Talk To Costner About Costner’s Plans

Sidney Lowe said in a press conference today that he hasn’t spoken with NC State player Brandon Costner about about leaving the team.

“That wasn’t something I wanted to get involved in right now,” [Sidney Lowe] said. “We want him to concentrate on doing the best he can for N.C. State right now, and then we will sit down and talk about it.

“As an organization and program, we have to prepare for both. But right now it’s something we don’t want to talk about. We know it’s there but we haven’t discussed it.”

Last week SFN linked to an interview of Brandon Costner from a website called “Northstar Basketball Blog”. The interview was done done last summer but not posted on the blog until last month. It can be seen by clicking here.

The following was the set up to the interview:

The talented redshirt junior was at the Steve Nash Skills Academy “just hanging out” because he was “home for a couple of weeks [and] knew a lot of the guys there, so [he] just wanted to stop by and say ‘what’s up’.” The ACC star said, “It’s nice to enjoy. I’m a fan as much as I am a basketball player, and I’m a fan of all those guys [who participated in the event], so it’s nice to come and workout.” Brandon told me this when I spoke to him during the college players’ workout time, a session that included coaching from Steve Nash himself. I also discussed much more with Costner, such as his game, his time at NC State, and his future.

The “Q&A” format of the blog entry would infer that the answers given by Costner were direct quotes…but, no quotations are included in the Q&A part of the interview.

The N&O’s ACCNow posted an entry on this topic as a follow-up to the UNC-CH game this weekend.

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.”

I am guessing that this passes the smell test for at least two or three readers out there.

For the record, here’s exactly what was said:

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

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08-09 Basketball 09-10 Basketball

28 Responses to Costner says NorthStar Basketball Blog ‘making stuff up’

  1. Alpha Wolf 02/02/2009 at 1:48 PM #

    Tysiac let Costner get away with that — either he said it or he didn’t and Tysiac should have asked him directly if he was misquoted.

    Given the Q/A format and that it was a one word direct answer, I lean towards him not being misquoted, but rather having changed his mind.

    I really get the feeling that Costner is playing both sides of the fence here and that Tysiac used the situation as an opening to take a shot at a web site.

  2. choppack1 02/02/2009 at 2:04 PM #

    Who knows the context here…did he feel that he was in an “interview” or was he just talking w/ someone, he may have said it or he may have been misquoted.

    I’ll file this under “good news” that there’s a chance he’ll come back – because we’ll really need him next year.

  3. Jeff 02/02/2009 at 2:12 PM #

    I think Costner plans on leaving at the end of the year and doesn’t want to have to deal with:

    (1) fans who know that he is choosing to leave the program early and

    (2) coaching that would cast his playing time away for the betterment of the program to develop players who are going to be here in the future.

    From most accounts I’ve heard the players on the team aren’t in love with “Big Lazy”.

    I wish that weren’t the case.

    I truly believe that if he could get his head screwed on just a little better that his presence in the program/on the team next year could make the difference in an NCAA Tournament bid for us.

  4. Classof89 02/02/2009 at 2:23 PM #

    This is what is called in politics the “non-denial denial”, in which you blow a lot of smoke about the original story, question the sources, impune the author’s motives, etc., but you DON’T actually deny the actual facts of the original rumor.

    If Costner had told someone “look, that story is completely false–I am 100% certain I will be completing my eligibility with the NC State basketball program next season”, that might constitute a news item–this interview, on the other hand, is simply Costner trying to keep everyone off his back until he actually does what he has planned to do all along.

  5. zahadum 02/02/2009 at 2:30 PM #

    Perhaps I’m overanalyzing and it was just standard coach media-speak but I found Lowe’s comments on this a bit odd to say the least, in that he said that Brandon and he had not even talked about this.

    I know you have to plan for both scenarios given that young guys often change their minds every week or so. But it seems that surely at some point before now he’d have asked Brandon, ‘ok, dude, we need to know recruiting-wise, which way do you think you’re leaning?’

  6. sautz 02/02/2009 at 2:37 PM #

    An author over at AOL Fanhouse speculated that Costner is not announcing he is leaving due to a negative impact it could have on recruiting (i.e. we suck worse next year without him)… but I guess thats just another crazy internet rumor.
    This non-denial-denial doesn’t pass my smell test. I do hope he ends up staying.

  7. Rick 02/02/2009 at 2:44 PM #

    If he is a problem with the players then it is best he leave. If he is not then we could use his size.

    I do tire of our basketball program being the athletic equivalent of “The Young and the Restless”

  8. Pack Leader 02/02/2009 at 2:51 PM #

    im going to be optomistic and say BC said these things after a horrible season last year and couldnt see much upside of NC State. I honestly believe the players see this team moving in the right direction esp. with the new players coming in next year and the way the young players are growing. Mabey now he sees himself being able to be the leader next year. Is he not allowed to change his mind it seems his own fans are hanging him out to dry and forcing him out. I dont agree with his seemingly “attacking” of his own fans on blogs but whatever. Theres no way we dont welcome him back next year.

    I think this line up next year could be a very tallented one and middle to upper class team.
    Degand
    Brown
    Thomas
    Costner
    Smith

    PS if your bored today go to youtube and look up Scott Wood videos in the last month. It really gives you a great since of him as a player because it not only includes his makes but also his misses. He now runs the point for marion hs (which is extremely impressive for a 6-5 SG). His shot is leathal all over the court and seems to love to run and roll off pics a la JJ Reddic. And deep 3s are no problem for him and it seems without mays on that team they double him very often so there is always atleast 2 hands in his face. I see brown taking over the point and wood moving to SG halfway through the year.

    sorry for such a long post that kinda got off topic….

  9. Rochester 02/02/2009 at 3:03 PM #

    It’s always possible that he changed his mind. And maybe he doesn’t really deserve to have people parsing every word he says or has said since he signed his LOI. If he leaves after this year I understand. I’ll be glad if he comes back, though.

    At this point it’s pretty doubtful we’re going to fill his scholarship with someone even remotely close to as good as he is, so we’d probably be better off waiting until next year to fill it anyway.

  10. JeremyH 02/02/2009 at 3:11 PM #

    Nothing new to see here.. even if he is not returning it is silly for him to disclose it now. When is John Wall going to commit to a school? He’s really dragging this out… it could be a good sign. All these NC State games he is going to, does he not see the possibilities. No way he gets as much playing time at Duke or Kansas in year one, and Baylor is too far from home.

  11. 61Packer 02/02/2009 at 3:27 PM #

    If he graduates in May as I’ve read on here that he might, then why would he want to come back?

  12. primacyone 02/02/2009 at 3:48 PM #

    ^Costner may think that he will be the go to guy that can just dominate next year and that will make him look more like an NBA player than a European player.

  13. Clarksa 02/02/2009 at 4:06 PM #

    As someone has said before, if Costner leaves along with Ben and Courtney graduating…then we will really know if we can blame our problems on the coach or the “big three.” Until I see the team next year, I will base my opinion on my knowledge of basketball and what I have seen on the court…and my unpopular opinion is that the coaching staff is not the problem.

  14. JeremyH 02/02/2009 at 4:23 PM #

    we need a stud in the post besides Howell, and a pure scorer like Wall.

  15. jwrenn29 02/02/2009 at 4:34 PM #

    I think the same, Clarksa. Sidney needs to get his guys and get his system playing with them.

  16. StateFans 02/02/2009 at 4:50 PM #

    Yes…with no Costner next season we undoubtedly need at least one other post player. Probably two.

    If we get DeMarcus Cousins then I would still suggest going after a true center — maybe from JUCO?

    If we keep CJ Leslie in the fold then that positions needs will be different in the future.

    I don’t necessarily have the answers…but there is definitely going to a big hole with no Costner.

  17. Gene 02/02/2009 at 5:11 PM #

    Didn’t think we’d potentially miss Big Lew, after his career ending injury, since he was a project anyway…

    If he developed at all, he could give us some minutes as a center and we wouldn’t be fretting so much about lack of size / depth next year.

  18. PAJ 02/02/2009 at 5:56 PM #

    The guy is graduating. Why is it such a shock to think he might leave college after getting his degree? Isn’t that what people do after they graduate?

    I see Costner’s situation much like DaJuan Morgan’s. He was graduating so he went pro. Why risk injury when there’s potential money to be made?

  19. BSIE80 02/02/2009 at 6:04 PM #

    Costner will go. He has had enough.
    No reason for him to stay, since he will graduate.

    If for some reason he wants to come back, we should open our arms to keep him.

  20. wufpup76 02/02/2009 at 6:39 PM #

    Agree that it doesn’t really pass the smell test, but if there is a chance on him coming back I’m all for it.

    Please come back (?)

  21. Afterglow 02/02/2009 at 7:18 PM #

    JeremyH-I’d hate to say it but I don’t think Wall is going here. My guess on why he’s dragging his feet is because he lives in Raleigh and would probably experience a great degree of awkward discomfort if he declared to say… Memphis. As to why he’s seen at so many State games? Probably because he can and he likes to watch the game of basketball. I hope I’m wrong though.

    As for BC-I personally think we need him. At the same time, if he can go pro…

  22. BAC79 02/02/2009 at 7:51 PM #

    If you want to see what BC and company are capable of go to you tube and look at “Dunks From NC State vs UNC 2-3-07”

    This is what these guys, including BC, are capable of when they put their mind to it.

    Look at this one too “Hansbrough Sissy Slap at Brandon Costner”

  23. Afterglow 02/02/2009 at 7:59 PM #

    Dunk you very much!!! That was pretty sweet.

  24. BAC79 02/02/2009 at 8:03 PM #

    Memo to coach Lowe: Get these videos and show them to our guys. Damn I’m pumped, these guys can play. Get em fired up and give em hell!!!!

    I know I’ve beat this theme like a dead horse, but darn it this team is capable of better. If you don’t believe it go back and look. They had fire and brimstone in their eyes and they can get it back. Maybe we won’t win a lot more games this year but they can sure play like they did on occasion back in 07.

    I want to see that version of Fells, BC and Ben.

  25. com state10 02/02/2009 at 8:06 PM #

    I hate to do this here and I do not want to reopen the FET debate, but I just saw the news about Kay’s mural on the bottom line on ESPN.

    I think we can all agree that we need to do something to curb this stuff. I am tired of making national news for these idiots. Our school may not be perfect, but it deserves so much better than what it is showing the country. I am sick of giving ignorant people a whole wall to display their crap.

    The chancellor needs to do something I am sorry. I wish it wasn’t this way but this is getting a little stupid now. He has a lot more to look out for than just the preservation of the free expression tunnel.

    I love the idea of the tunnel, and we should be able to find another way to incorporate what makes it great, but I am over it if it continues to scar our great school. Delete this if you want I am just pissed.

    I agree, but I think it safe to say that this time it had nothing to do with NC State, its students or its fans.

    –Alpha

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