Deshawn Painter: Florida’s loss becomes NC State’s gain

Basketball Recruiting174

8pm Update: BREAKING NEWS! – The Wolfpacker beat Pack Pride by about 15 minutes on this one with their report that Deshawn Painter has chosen to play basketball at NC State. SFN heard last week that NC State was ‘expecting’ to land Painter, but you never count your chickens before they hatch. We felt pretty good about State’s odds after Painter got out of his visit in College Park this past weekend without falling in love and committing in person to Gary Williams. So, we got ready to run this story this evening so that we would be prepared. Good timing/ CONGRATULATIONS, Coach Lowe and the Wolfpack!!

The recruitment of the one of the top remaining post prospects in country ended on Wednesday when Deshawn Painter chose NC State over Maryland after eliminating Virginia Tech from consideration earlier in the week.

Painter, of Chatham (Va.) Hargrave Military Academy, is a very athletic, ‘lengthy’ 6’9 power forward who has a well rounded game that includes the ability to rebound and block shots. After originally committing to Billy Donovan at the University of Florida, DeShawn ultimately changed his mind and re-opened his recruitment.

He is ranked as one of the Top 75 high school players in the country; Scout has given him four stars and Rivals has given him three stars. ESPNU ranks Painter #19 on their list of top power forwards in the country, achieving “score” of 92 as NC State’s other post commit – Richard Howell. Howell is ranked #20 on ESPNU’s list.

  • Wolfpack Hoops’ biography/profile of Painter can be seen by clicking here.

Make no mistake about Painter’s potential impact on NC State’s 2009-2010 team and on the program into the future. In this thorough entry on March 23rd we stated the following:

Much is made about State’s struggles and needs at the point guard position…and, Ryan Harrow may be scheduled to arrive in Raleigh one year too late for Coach Lowe. But, I see an even more glaring deficiency on the Wolfpack’s roster after the departure of Brandon Costner – NC State desperately needs some size, heft and toughness in the post. Despite the addition of Richard Howell in the 2009 recruiting class, an ‘ideal’ candidate for one of the Wolfpack’s remaining scholarships would be a junior college big man – preferably a true center of close to 7 feet – who can defend, block shots and rebound. Additionally, this would be ideal for current and future scholarship spacing needs.

Although Painter may not represent the ‘ideal’ situation that we projected with a hypothetical junior college prospect, he’s damn close and would obviously contribute to the program for more than just two seasons. Having versatile and skilled bookends in the post like Richard Howell and DeShawn Painter (as freshmen) behind Tracy Smith and Dennis Horner would create an awful lot of depth for the Wolfpack next year, and beyond) while helping to blunt the blow of (potentially) losing CJ Leslie from next year’s class.

Projected 2009-2010 NC State Basketball Roster

Senior Class
(1) Dennis Horner (F)
(2) Farnold Degand (PG)

Junior Class
(3) Javi Gonzalez (PG)
(4) Tracy Smith (4F)

Sophomore Class
(5) Johnny Thomas (Wing)
(6) Julius Mays (PG/SG)
(7) CJ Williams (Wing)

Freshman Class
(8) Scott Wood (Wing)
(9) Lorenzo Brown (PG/SG)
(10) Richard Howell (PF)
(11) Josh Davis (WF)
(12) Jordan Vandenberg (C)
(13) DeShawn Painter (PF/C)

2010 Commits
(1) Departure of Dennis Horner – Ryan Harrow (PG)
(2) Departure of Farnold Degand – Previously CJ Leslie (PF/C)

2011 Commits
(3) Departure of Javi Gonzalez
(4) Departure of Tracy Smith

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Basketball Recruiting

174 Responses to Deshawn Painter: Florida’s loss becomes NC State’s gain

  1. LRM 05/13/2009 at 10:31 PM #

    “Today was a Great day for the Pack!!!!”

    Yes, Don Shea is already doing the video for today as a “Great Moments in NC State History.”

  2. wolfpacker420 05/13/2009 at 11:13 PM #

    awesome pick up. Just to let you know wolfpackhoops beat you guys by 35min

    SFN: Just to let you know…that isn’t true. The time stamps must be off because I left for dinner at 8:15 and WolfpackHoops still didn’t have anything on their site (because I was looking to link to them). They must be running on Central time or fibbing. You know…’just to let you know’ since you seemed so concerned by getting that judgment accurate.

    SFN2: I just went to their site and I think we have some stretching of the truth. Go look at the comments section of their entry. First comment is at 8:20pm. But, their article supposedly was posted at 7:35pm. That is quite a lag between the article and first comment. And, that couldn’t be a Central time zone issue.

    SFN is 100% correct. The time stamps here are wrong after a kernel upgrade on the time server at our provider and I have not had the time to chase it down. Perhaps if I wasn’t watching Spacewolf’s handiwork up close (I saw the shuttle launch from the VIP area Monday) and having dinner with retired Apollo astronauts I would have time to fix these things. 😉 –ALPHA

  3. pakfanistan 05/14/2009 at 12:04 AM #

    Here’s something to help you pick out your starting 5.

    I’m guessing,

    Javi
    Brown
    Williams???
    Horner???
    Smith

    Mays might be able to step into a backup SG or starting PG spot if he can improve his defense. His offensive rating is already better than Javi’s. I don’t think Degand sniffs the court again unless something tragic happens. His numbers are atrocious.

    Horner’s defense is so bad he might get bumped in favor of Howell or Painter.

    Then at the 3 spot, you’ve got a choice between CJ Williams, who didn’t set the world on fire, Johnny Thomas, who is untested, Wood or maybe Horner, if we hate ourselves.

    Next year is full of ‘if’s and that’s never a good sign. IF Javi can improve on O, and IF Smith and Horner can improve on D, and IF two freshmen can play beyond their years we’ll be OK.

    Otherwise….start stocking up on liquor now. You’re going to need it.

    BTW, those numbers indicate that Fells was our worst player. INTERESTING.

  4. wufpup76 05/14/2009 at 12:07 AM #

    Fantastic!

    Great job Coach & co.!

    Definitely takes some of the sting away from the Leslie situation …

    “.500 in the ACC would be on the good side of being an NCAA Bubble team.”

    ^Usually, but certainly not always. Who did you play, who did you beat, where did you play them? … OOC results and scheduling absolutely have to be improved as well.

    SFN: No. ALWAYS. Name one time in history (since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64/65 teams) that a .500 team in the ACC was not on the NCAA BUBBLE. Name just one.

  5. ms termeaner 05/14/2009 at 7:47 AM #

    On paper we are looking good! But please not fab 6 good ,not yet. Now let’s see if Sid can coach and please I do not want to hear that he needs a few years with his recruits. I think either the NCAA or good bye!

  6. Alpha Wolf 05/14/2009 at 8:15 AM #

    We should field a far more competitive team than we all thought the night of the UMD game in the ACCT.

    Sid has the players in a down conference to compete and the floor has to be raised a little bit expectation-wise now. I think 8-8 minimum. I think that this team can do it, but they are going to have to play with constancy of purpose that we have yet to see under Sid’s watch. I think that may be due to the Sendek holdovers that are now gone, so I am hopeful.

  7. BJD95 05/14/2009 at 8:27 AM #

    If Painter is eligible, he obviously gives Lowe a better chance to clear the NCAAT hurdle, which is still my minimum level of achievement (and I think a fair one) to not want Lowe fired. That’s very good news.

    It does make the Josh Davis thing even more inexplicable.

    Don’t worry one bit about John Wall. That’s not going to happen.

  8. kyjelly 05/14/2009 at 8:28 AM #

    I wonder if it is a case of a day late and a dollar short on Sid’s part. He should of shown signs of being aggressive and desperate in his recruiting not just this year.
    It is his attempt to save his ass and job.

  9. zahadum 05/14/2009 at 8:38 AM #

    Hmmm, the ESPN link says: ‘he does have a nice right-hand jump hook turning over his left shoulder’.

    Now when he develops a right-hand jump hook over his right shoulder, then I’ll really be impressed.

  10. Bubba 05/14/2009 at 8:39 AM #

    LOL, WolfHoops pulled a fast one with his time stamp.When I posted about DP commit yesterday at 7:52 it was at least 20-25 more minutes until Hoops had a story up.

  11. PackBacker001 05/14/2009 at 8:40 AM #

    KY, of course he is being aggressive and trying to save his ass and his job. Would you prefer he roll over and give up?

  12. kyjelly 05/14/2009 at 8:42 AM #

    ^ Very true It makes the Josh Davis deal even more puzzling.

  13. kyjelly 05/14/2009 at 8:45 AM #

    ^ No I would have preferred it a heck of a lot sooner? I thik it is too late and still a strange mix of “talent”

  14. Bubba 05/14/2009 at 8:59 AM #

    Some of you people are setting yourselves up for disappointment. Sid will be playing with 9 freshmen and sophmores and has a 5 star point guard, probable MCD all-american coming in the next year. Can’t imagine the PTB not giving him at least 2 more years (we are NCState afterall)whether right or wrong.

  15. BJD95 05/14/2009 at 8:59 AM #

    If it is a day late and a dollar short, it still leaves a better group of parts for the next coach. Win-win situation.

  16. Wolfpack_1995 05/14/2009 at 9:01 AM #

    “kyjelly Says:
    May 14th, 2009 at 8:42 am
    ^ Very true It makes the Josh Davis deal even more puzzling.”

    I look at the J. Davis signing as bringing positive synergy to the team. He is a local guy that loves NC State and will probably get a better network going with Raleigh recruits. I have no problem bringing him in considering the other players in this class.

    Wall is a cancer anyways.

    Very excited with the class..Too bad Harrow cannot play this year.

  17. tvp1 05/14/2009 at 9:19 AM #

    We’re getting off topic, but I just cannot fathom that Sid will be forced out if, say, we go 7-9 next year, make the NIT, and return everyone except Degand and Horner for 10-11 with a top-25 PG coming in (and potentially another big recruit).

    I’m not saying this is right or wrong, just that I can’t see Sid going anywhere unless there’s a collapse next year. BJD, Noah, and others, I completely believe that you’ve received credible information to the contrary. But I also know that this is NC State, we never fire anyone absent an Amato-style collapse, Fowler would have to be forced to get rid of Sidney no matter the circumstance, and that the rank and file fans seem largely willing to give Sid at least 2 more years.

    Hopefully we make the NCAAs next year and this is all a moot debate.

  18. BJD95 05/14/2009 at 9:47 AM #

    ^ You are right in that Fowler would defend Lowe to the end, even if he went 0-16 in the ACC next year. Any talk of making proactive moves to improve NC State athletics is obviously predicated on Fowler not being around after this summer.

    As I understand it, the big money people are all aligned in the same direction. Otherwise, I would totally agree that we would definitely behave in typical inert NC State fashion – and that still might in fact happen.

  19. Texpack 05/14/2009 at 9:49 AM #

    This will give Sidney a good base of talent to work with. This is also a theft of a little better Gator recruit than their theft of Dan Werner.

    I’m not sure why this class turned out to be so much better than the previous two but I’ll take it. He’s going to have to get his rotation set going into the conference schedule this year. This team could very easily go 9 deep on a regular basis. It is always possible that none of the freshmen will contribute next year. I’ve seen too many freshmen crap out in the ACC to count on them being good to great players. One has to hope that with the number of highly ranked players in this class that at least two of them are worthy of 25+ minutes/game. The main thing you have to hope for is that the ones who can’t contribute right away aren’t head cases. Let’s see what Sidney can do with the most talent he’s had since he arrived on the job.

  20. Wulfpack 05/14/2009 at 10:04 AM #

    Congrats on this signing. No doubt Lowe can recruit. However, I have yet to see him coach. It’s time to win. NCAA or bust. No excuses.

  21. NCSUownzJoo 05/14/2009 at 10:05 AM #

    Expectations should still be tempered about next year. Remember, even though we have some very good talent coming in, they’re still freshmen and they’re still going to make freshmen mistakes.

    You MUST be willing to give Lowe to the end of Harrows first year before you start to see dramatic results. We’ll see some results next year but we won’t see DRAMATIC results until Harrows freshman year.

    Javi has done nothing but get better and we don’t need Wall to “run the show”. Javi will do just fine in that aspect with all of the talent he will have around him. Not to mention multiple others have the talent to “run the show” as well.

    I don’t think you can point to HWSNBN’s tenure as “success”, neither can you label Sids’ first few years a failure. He had very little to work with and his recruiting has shown that he has the ability to make us a better program.

    old13 give me a link where Sid makes excuses and doesn’t own up to his mistakes. Oh that’s right, he hasn’t done that has he?

    No we don’t need them to be ROY’s. We need them ALL to contribute. Every single player Lowe recruited for this year has the ability to score and score in big big amounts. You have no idea what we have and what we don’t have obviously. To even begin to compare them to the Brackman class is absolutely absurd. These kids are ALL known for their ability to score. Something which can’t be said about Brackman’s class.

    On what grounds do you state he’s a horrible coach? I’m curious because I hear all these people say how bad of a coach he is, yet they never provide any evidence outside of his W/L record. But yet those same people will say how great a coach TOB is, when his record is not any more impressive than Lowe’s record. So you make a claim, now provide some evidence for it.

    KY you obviously have no idea what you’re talking about. Lowes’ last class was committed RIGHT AFTER Hickson committed. That means they were committed 2 years ahead of time. What do you expect Sid to do, pull Williams and Mays schollys? Get a clue.

    We could land Jesus Christ himself as the #1 recruit in the nation and some of you would still find a way to complain lol

  22. Alpha Wolf 05/14/2009 at 10:12 AM #

    Define “dramatic.”

    Dramatic to me is 10 or more conference wins.

    8-8 in a down conference is not dramatic by my definition, though some may disagree. State had the opportunity to be 8-8 this year, after all.

  23. packplantpath 05/14/2009 at 10:18 AM #

    NCSUownzjoo,

    TOB’s record at NCSU vs Sid’s ignores the history of both coaches. Sure, the recent records are similar, but TOB has a long history of winning more games with less talent. We know what his floor is (7-9 wins/season), and we want to see what his ceiling is (shoot for 12).

    Sid is, under the most generous assessment, still a question mark or if you are not generous, a poor coach. If you take into account his historic level of success, then he is performing at about the level he has always performed to slightly higher. Maybe we will see things get better with his teams. I’m not writing him off completely yet. But to compare him to TOB is laughable.

  24. NCSUownzJoo 05/14/2009 at 10:19 AM #

    TOB’s been coaching collegiate football for like 8 times longer than Sid? You can’t judge Sid based on his past performance… If you judged TOB on his first few years at BC as a predictor of his future success, you would have had his ass fired.

    And no, what is laughable is equating professional level coaching success or failure to collegiate coaching success or failure. That is laughable.

  25. BJD95 05/14/2009 at 10:20 AM #

    If there’s one thing I hate, it’s seeing excuses being made for failure before the season even starts. Sidney Lowe needs a tangible accomplishment in 2009-10. Period.

    But there’s a second thing I hate more – people trying to put down Tom O’Brien (who has a track record of success, a 7-9 ACC record, and turned around a disastrous program almost completely entering Year Three) to prop up Lowe (who has no college track record, no success as a head coach at ANY level, a 15-33 ACC record, and finally has a Top 20 recruiting class entering Year Four).

    And we can give you several subjective critiques of Lowe’s coaching performance (and off-court issues), but in truth the bottom line is all that really matters (15-33 ACC record, one NIT berth in three years). Other than one weekend (the ACCT run), Lowe hasn’t shown me any ability whatsoever. And after three seasons with no other success, it’s time to shit or get off the pot.

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