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

    It has nothing to do with excuses lol It has to do with FACT. We’re bringing in 6 FRESHMAN and asking them to contribute RIGHT AWAY. You may not like that, but it’s a fact. To expect them to play like seniors and not freshman because you’re impatient is just absurd.

    I was NOT putting down TOB. I’m pointing out flaws in your “thinking”, if you can call it that. If you think Lowe is such a bad coach then give me reasons WHY? Other than W/L. Because if you’re going to base it on that, then you have to say TOB is not a good coach either.

    And I like how you said you could give “several critiques” but yet you didn’t give any lol

  2. packplantpath 05/14/2009 at 10:33 AM #

    “Because if you’re going to base it on that, then you have to say TOB is not a good coach either.”

    TOB’s record at BC was 2 seasons of 4-7, followed by 8 seasons of 7 or more wins. That is objective proof.

    That is the flaw in you “thinking”, since you were the one to make the comparison, we were pointing out your errors. I really am sick of people defending Sid based on TOB’s record at NC State, when there is zero comparison to be made.

    Come up with some other way to defend him (there are several that are valid), because that one is a non-starter.

  3. Thinkpack17 05/14/2009 at 10:34 AM #

    Great Job Sid. Great, Great Job.

  4. BJD95 05/14/2009 at 10:38 AM #

    It’s been discussed to death. Players don’t understand their roles. Inexplicable substitution patterns. Team chemistry problems that aren’t properly addressed. Lack of effective, consistent discipline.

    And that doesn’t even touch the program stewardship issues which are my primary concern in any event. I can assure you that I haven’t heard one reassuring word from anybody close to the program (and yes, we are in a position to hear lots of stuff).

    So, unless you are relying on hope and/or blind faith – the only thing you have to judge Lowe on is his objective record. 15-33 in ACC play. As someone who took lots of math to get his engineering degree, I can assure you that’s lots worse than TOB’s 7-9, which is a damned fine mark for just 2 years into a complete program rebuild.

    Going into O’Brien’s 3rd season, we are wondering whether we can compete for a league title this year, or if we have to wait 1 more season. Going into Lowe’s 4th year, we are talking about whether it’s “fair” to demand that Lowe finish in the middle of the conference pack and make the field of 64.

    And you don’t get to hit the reset button prior to your fourth year on the job. It just doesn’t work that way.

  5. NCSUownzJoo 05/14/2009 at 10:39 AM #

    Yes, but 3 seasons in, according to your logic you should have called TOB a bad coach because his overall record was a losing record. And percentage-wise worse than Lowes’ current record. Again, your “logic” is utterly and hopelessly flawed.

  6. Thinkpack17 05/14/2009 at 10:43 AM #

    Sid was a rookie coach, rookie coaches get their ass busted in this league, that’s just how it goes. If Sid had 10 years of college coaching experience I would have a torch just like the rest, but when Sid was announced as our coach I knew the deal…as did the rest of you.

  7. NCSUownzJoo 05/14/2009 at 10:44 AM #

    Lowe made it VERY clear what their roles were. Hell he did it in interviews and post-game comments. You think he didn’t speak about it in practice? Give me a freaking break. You can’t FORCE someone to accept their role. Lowe had bad substitution patterns at the BEGINNING of the season. Very clearly because of injury and because of a lack of performance from certain players. He inserted a lineup of bigs that DID work and DID provide wins and the substitution pattern was not a problem. And I’m sorry, but team chemistry is going to suffer when one of your players is having sex with another one of your players girlfriends. I don’t care how good of a coach you are, that’s going to be a problem. Give me a specific example of inconsistent discipline on the part of Lowe.

    To even BEGIN to compare the level of competition in ACC football with the level of competition in ACC basketball is just ridiculous. Of course it’s going to be easier to win a title in ACC football. Give me a break. You will make ANY kind of excuse as to why we suck. With having absolutely nothing to back it up other than opinion and these anonymous sources you’re claiming. I got like 15 anonymous sources and they ALL say Lowe is a great coach. Give me a break.

  8. BJD95 05/14/2009 at 10:47 AM #

    Yes, I’m sure Tom O’Brien’s overall record wouldn’t be any good if he played the likes of High Point and Lipscomb for about 35-40% of his schedule. Right.

    Because of the way basketball schedules are structured, overall records mean squat.

    And again, Tom O’Brien has tangible, credible things going for him other than his two years at NC State.

    I also forgot (in my subjective critique) that absolutely none of “Lowe’s guys” play any defense.

  9. NCSUownzJoo 05/14/2009 at 10:48 AM #

    Oh and there’s PLENTY of positives about the program. He’s recruiting MUCH better talent than previously recruited. The talent he has recruited have ALL gotten better since he’s been there, Javi and Tracy being most notable. He’s got us being talked about by THE best recruits in the nation and having us put on their final lists. There’s plenty of reason for optimism. You just don’t want to see it.

  10. Thinkpack17 05/14/2009 at 10:50 AM #

    ^^Javi works his ass of on the defensive end. He plays defense…he’s just a shrimp. CJ Williams plays D as well. Lo Brown has been called a “Lock-Down” defender.

  11. NCSUownzJoo 05/14/2009 at 10:51 AM #

    ^exactly… He’s either being purposefully intellectually dishonest, or he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

    And you’re not even mentioning that the one thing JV mentions is his ability to defend, block and rebound. Or that Painter is a GREAT shot-blocker and rebounder.

  12. BJD95 05/14/2009 at 10:56 AM #

    From an institutional standpoint, NC State has all the advantages that a good coach needs to be a top-tier ACC program. We just haven’t had one of those in a really long time.

    And the current jobholder needs a litany of excuses as to why he can’t even get us to the middle tier in four years.

  13. NCSUownzJoo 05/14/2009 at 10:59 AM #

    Oh, except for the fact that we’ve SUCKED for 20 years. Except for the fact that we have some INSANE fans who claim to know everything about college basketball, but when speaking about a coach, show that they know very little, if anything, about collegiate basketball. They certainly don’t understand recruiting or coaching. Except the fact that we are 20 miles from two of the biggest collegiate basketball powerhouses in the history of the game. Do you even read what you post?

    It’s not excuses, it’s fact. Whether you like the facts or not is completely irrelevant.

  14. Thinkpack17 05/14/2009 at 11:02 AM #

    The amount of coaches that would be called a “good coach” based on their record after 3 years would be a very short list. No excuses, just facts.

  15. BJD95 05/14/2009 at 11:02 AM #

    We will see if Vandenburg, Painter, and Brown can and will play defense.

    Javi is a very poor defender. Part of it is size, part of it is speed – but proper positioning can help out alot (see Atsur, Engin). CJ Williams is a marginal defender, although I will admit that he’s a step above the rest of our returning players because he’s not horrible defensively.

  16. BJD95 05/14/2009 at 11:05 AM #

    Almost every good coach WILL have success no later than Year Four. If Lowe is any good, he’ll be able to make the middle of the ACC pack in a down year for the conference, and dance.

    That’s not very hard to accomplish, so if you believe Lowe knows what he’s doing, why so much concern about expectations?

  17. Bubba 05/14/2009 at 11:12 AM #

    Why does one think the ACC will be down this year. I would bet 6 teams will be ranked for the majority of the year.Does throwing out “down year” help with some hidden agenda?

  18. Thinkpack17 05/14/2009 at 11:15 AM #

    A-Good Coach
    B-Success=Dance
    C-4th Year

    So based on what you are saying Almost every good coach will make the Dance by their 4th year? That would be a damn good case study.

    I have no worries about expectations. I’ve said from the beginning we will be a suprise squad next year. I just don’t agree with the “no progam positives” and “he can sorta recruit, but he’s still a bum camp.” Just saying.

  19. BJD95 05/14/2009 at 11:18 AM #

    What’s so “hidden” about it? I think Sidney Lowe should be fired if he doesn’t make the NCAAT – no ifs, ands, or buts.

    Look at the all-ACC lists, and note how few of those players are coming back. The N&O ran a stroy last week about how rare the talent exodus will be (assuming Vasquez and Henderson stay in the draft), in a historical context.

    The “down year” reference is just icing on the cake, regarding the complaints about setting an objective bar to clear.

    If you want to make it conference-strength neutral, then substitute in “Top 40 in RPI.”

  20. BJD95 05/14/2009 at 11:20 AM #

    Yes, I am saying that almost every good coach will make the dance by his fourth year. Coming off probation or inheriting a bad program might extend things one year, but Lowe dealt with neither.

  21. Thinkpack17 05/14/2009 at 11:20 AM #

    Oh the ACC will absolutely be “down” next year. I don’t know how you could argue it will improve or stay the same.

  22. Thinkpack17 05/14/2009 at 11:22 AM #

    LOL…he inherited “Sid’s Six Pack”. Don’t get me wrong…I loved those guys and the awesome win they pulled against UNC. But Come on!

  23. cooldrip 05/14/2009 at 11:26 AM #

    Much better talent? Let’s examine that statement. Has Lowe brought in any player comparable to Hodge? How about Evtimov or Melvin? Cam Bennerman? The best player Lowe has had was Atsur, not one of his recruits and still the only REAL point guard during this regime. I’m not defending HWSNBN, but his players were well-schooled fundamentally and played hard-nosed D.

    As for discipline, how many times did we see Costner, Fells, or McCauley sit for their various transgressions? How about GG the year before? How many times did we see the same crap over and over from these guys, whether it was Costner being lazy or Fells throwing the same lazy skip-pass? How many times did we see these guys stand like mannequins on D as opponents drove around them for layups? I hate to bring up another hated name, but have you watched Psycho-T play D on the perimeter? That’s a synergy of attitude and coaching, when you get your center to get down in a proper defensive stance and move his feet when 20 feet from the hoop.

    On the situational coaching front, the glaring example among many for me was the Mays situation at year’s end. If I recall correctly, he hadn’t played in 9 games prior to the ACCT, yet looked like our MVP and a rookie-team shoo-in. Sid stated in the interview that he had been practicing really well for the previous few weeks in the post-game. If that’s true, why no minutes? At all, not any, in 9 games? I’ve seen timeouts called just before TV timeouts, crazy sub patterns, and a failure to recognize opponents’ tactics and adjust. These are all easy to see when you watch the games objectively. I don’t want Sid to fail, he’s a boyhood hero to me. When I see these things through my red-tinted glasses they are a problem.

    On the “anonymous source” front, some of us do have highly placed sources. We also just can’t say “so&so told me this”. These people are friends and family, and if they wanted to be quoted directly, they would just call the sports desk at WRAL. And if we outed them somewhere like a blog message board, they certainly would never discuss any sensitive topics with us again. I know in the case of my HIGHLY-placed source, he would risk being fired, and regardless it would be the end of his career advancement.

  24. newt 05/14/2009 at 11:27 AM #

    “Going into O’Brien’s 3rd season, we are wondering whether we can compete for a league title this year, or if we have to wait 1 more season. Going into Lowe’s 4th year, we are talking about whether it’s “fair” to demand that Lowe finish in the middle of the conference pack and make the field of 64.”

    I believe NC State was picked to finish between 1 and 3 in the ACC prior to Lowe’s 2nd year.

  25. Wulfpack 05/14/2009 at 11:30 AM #

    2 biggest powerhouses in the history of the game? UCLA might have something to say about that. Duke has been a Sweet 16 team at best the past few years.

    Lowe has finished no better than 10th three years on the job. That is a cause for concern whether you care about win loss records or not. That is not good, in fact, it’s very poor.

    Furthermore, the ACC was completely overrated at the beginning of the year. We dropped off like flies: clemson, wake, fsu, maryland, vt, miami. And we weren’t even in the discussion.

    Sid has recruited well. The conference is down. It’s time to put up or shut up. Time to prove you are worthy of the job. I’ve heard enough excuses, enough BS, go PROVE it already.

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