Torian Graham de-commits from NC State

Basketball Recruiting26

I apologize for being a little slow on this. As you have probably noticed, there is a little issue transpiring in the global equity markets that has sucked a lot of my time over the last week.

A quick plug for following our message boards in tandem with the blog as they’ve been discussing this bad news for the Wolfpack.

Here is more from from WRAL

Torian Graham was an early target of NC State basketball coach Mark Gottfried who landed the 6-4 guard in May. But Sunday, Graham told Wolfpack coaches that he was decommitting from NC State. “It’s nothing personal,” Graham told WRAL on Monday. “It was something I had to do.”

Graham, who is the 25th ranked overall player in the class of 2012, was a statement recruit for new Wolfpack coach Mark Gottfried.

He chose NC State over Kentucky, UNC, Miami and Georgetown. “I feel like I rushed my decision,” he explained of his May commitment. “I need to sit down with my family and my bother, who just got to town, to discuss my future. I need to take it slowly this time”

NC State remains on his list. “Oh yes sir,” he quickly responded. Graham said Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, UCLA and Baylor are also on his list of schools to explore.

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Basketball Recruiting

26 Responses to Torian Graham de-commits from NC State

  1. Rochester 08/08/2011 at 2:39 PM #

    Hope he pulls a CJL and re-commits later.

  2. logarithm 08/08/2011 at 2:53 PM #

    I remember in his first interview after committing, he said it was a relief to be done with recruiting and it was nice to just know what his next step would be. I wasn’t convinced then that he was sure of why he picked State. He might end up being CJ Leslie 2: Electric Boogaloo, and recommitting. I think we’ll need players like him with athleticism at the rim and 3-point range. And if the tempo gets pushed like Gottfried said, we’ll need subs at guard. Hopefully we end up getting him if he ends up being the kind of kid we need to get.

    Part of me wants to slump back in my chair and say “…So it begins.”

    Another part of me thinks having less competition at guard will make Rodney Purvis more likely to commit. Then again, Graham and Purvis were still teammates and enjoyed playing together.

  3. nav 08/08/2011 at 3:04 PM #

    This is crappy news. The stock market will recover. Graham will likely not recommitt.

  4. ncsuallday 08/08/2011 at 3:23 PM #

    Unfortunately, I think he’s gone for good. We really can’t compete with a program like Kentucky, UNC or Duke at this point. Let’s be realistic. As much as I’d love to see a dramatic turnaround this year (which is totally possible) if I were a freshman I’d go to the team with the best chance of going far and putting me in a better position to be drafted in the NBA and right now State is sitting on a terrible track record. Until we prove ourselves to, at the very least, get into the NCAA tournament (what kid wants to play for a school that is doubted to make it versus ones that are virtually guaranteed), we’re not going to attract “star” players. We need to let Coach Gottfried take the players that do want to be here and help them to shine, get notoriety, and then get the kids that will take us to national prominence.

  5. codebrown 08/08/2011 at 3:33 PM #

    We suck again!

  6. Daily Update 08/08/2011 at 3:35 PM #

    Who is his brother? Recruiting is a tough game.

  7. Gowolves 08/08/2011 at 3:36 PM #

    Don’t be downers. This is just a kid taking some more time. Granted it does leave the door a little open but trust in MG. I think he knows what he is doing.

  8. cWOhLFrPAiCKs 08/08/2011 at 3:40 PM #

    ^Agreed, Gowolves. Either way, I this year is a rebuilding year, and I think we’ll have plenty of time to get high star recruits after a year of proving ourselves. I wouldn’t be surprised if he recommits in the future after getting some attention from other schools.

  9. BassPacker 08/08/2011 at 3:44 PM #

    Not sure I get your point ncsuallday….suggesting a player not come to NCSU because of its terrible NBA track record…huh? I beg the differ, NC State is just as good a school to use as a stepping stone to the NBA as any. We had a lottery player not too long ago….remember JJ Hickson? In this decade, State has produced many current and long stating NBA players. Names like Tom Guggliotta, JJ Hickson, Cedric Simmons, Andy Grundy, Vinny Delnegro, Todd Fuller, Julius Hodge and you could say Chucky Brown in this decade as he played till 2001. Even though our record for the past decade as been so so, being an ACC member, large fanbase, great facilities, and a long history of players in the NBA, there is NO reason NCSU cannot attract “star” players.

    I just don’t get the attitude we don’t deserve players like Graham or we can’t compete with UNC or Duke.

  10. primacyone 08/08/2011 at 4:03 PM #

    [Quote]”ncsuallday Says:
    August 8th, 2011 at 3:23 pm
    Unfortunately, I think he’s gone for good. We really can’t compete with a program like Kentucky, UNC or Duke at this point. . . “[/quote]

    Man, at least educate yourself on who would look at him before you say ignorant stuff like that. When we were recruiting him, and still as of now, his other offers were from Miami and Zavier. He hasn’t had any interest from Kentucky, UNC, or Duke “at this point”. He’s asking them to come take a look at and suggest he would like to explore those programs, but so would every other basketball player in the country. Doesn’t mean those programs have any interest in him.

    Come on man.

  11. pack17 08/08/2011 at 4:15 PM #

    Daily Update, his brother is Tyree Graham. 6′ 4 point guard I played against in high school. He went to Mt Zion and later transferred to Village Christian in Fayetteville. He was an absolute stud but didnt have Torian’s freakish leaping ability. Went to Texas Tech and played as a freshman, then transferred home for personal reasons and dominated at Brunswick CC near Wilmington. Last time I talked to him he was red shirting at Rutgers after having surgery on his acl and then again on his ruptured Achilles.
    And I think ncsuallday is referring to the amount of lottery guards that Cal, Coach K, and Roy have produced. Im not saying we dont deserve these types of kids, but it really helps on the recruiting trail when you can point to Rose, Evans, Wall, Bledsoe, Knight. Or even Felton and Lawson or Jason Williams, Corey Maggette, and Nolan Smith. We just dont have any names like this to throw around yet. Hopefully Brown and Leslie will help us out in this area the next couple of years.

  12. packpowerfan 08/08/2011 at 4:19 PM #

    http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a32/TKELuke/ohNO.jpg

    I had to. Also, note that stupid ass comment underneath it.

  13. freshmanin83 08/08/2011 at 5:52 PM #

    Well that stinks.

  14. mak4dpak 08/08/2011 at 7:23 PM #

    Hopefully he will recommit, but if not, the season is not over. He has never played for State, so we don’t know how he would do. Some guys can perform at the college level, and others can’t. So I am not throwing in the towel with/without T. Graham. We still have the players to be successful. At least we have the key ingredient now. a “COACH.” Good luck Coach Gottfried!

  15. mak4dpak 08/08/2011 at 7:23 PM #

    Hopefully he will recommit, but if not, the season is not over. He has never played for State, so we don’t know how he would do. Some guys can perform at the college level, and others can’t. So I am not throwing in the towel with/without T. Graham. We still have the players to be successful. At least we have the key ingredient now. a “COACH.” Good luck Coach Gottfried!

  16. JeremyH 08/08/2011 at 8:04 PM #

    wtf is “Electric Boogaloo”

  17. 61Packer 08/08/2011 at 9:28 PM #

    If he’s another CJL type, then I say good riddance.

  18. ryebread 08/08/2011 at 10:06 PM #

    Bummer. Recruiting is a long process though, so it’s just time to go out and re-establish the relationship.

    JeremyH: Electric Boogaloo is a reference to the movie “Breakin’ 2.” If there was ever a movie that never deserved a sequel, it was the original “Breakin'” so Electric Boogaloo has become a bit of a reference. You had to grow up in the late 80’s and early 90’s to really get it though.

  19. BJD95 08/08/2011 at 11:35 PM #

    Since I gave up following basketball recruiting, I have no feelings one way or the other.

  20. Boyd 08/09/2011 at 2:39 AM #

    BJD,

    Although you have the most realistic expectations to our basketball and football team’s future, I generally find your comments deflating. As someone who still holds on to every bit of hope, It hurts me to see any NC State fan being completely complacent about something that they seem to care about. If you’ve really “given up”, why are you still posting? Just wait until you see NCST scroll across your ESPN feed with a winning record and stop back by. We’ll still be here.

    -Boyd

  21. BJD95 08/09/2011 at 6:52 AM #

    Oh, I’m back to being curious to see us play. I’m glad this staff is competent and professional, and am content with whatever results that brings. It’s just a different mindset than I had before.

    Let’s say I had to go through the denial and anger stages of grief regarding what we did to our brand identity as a college basketball power. And I vented more than I should. But now I’ve moved on to acceptance, and it feels pretty good.

    My perspective is just as valid as anyone else’s, so I will continue to post. You’re more than welcome to ignore me if you don’t like what I have to say.

  22. Rick 08/09/2011 at 8:52 AM #

    I used to love following recruiting but frankly it is absurd to follow teens mood changes.

    I want to see the product on the court. Win is what I ask.

  23. PoppaJohn 08/09/2011 at 9:24 AM #

    It was too good to be true. I don’t see a CJL happening. Has that EVER happened before at State?
    We’ve got to earn our recruits. MG & the Fabulous Four have to show something on the court, then use that foundation with their mad recruiting skills to bring the talent.
    It’s going to be a slow process, we’ve got to gear up for the long haul. This is barely step 1 in our five year cycle of “will he make it, or not?”

  24. VaWolf82 08/09/2011 at 11:01 AM #

    As someone who still holds on to every bit of hope,

    I’ve come to the conclusion that individual personalities play a huge role in how you make preseason projections. As far as Wolfpack Sports go, I’ve long ago taken the motto of “Show Me”, even though I’m not from MO. Frankly, I don’t understand how any State fan could justify any other attitude (but I know that there are plenty that agree with you).

  25. ncsuallday 08/09/2011 at 2:05 PM #

    First of all @basspacker, I never said or inferred NCSU didn’t have a good NBA track record, but it doesn’t compare to schools like UNC, Duke, Kentucky, etc. and I wasn’t even trying to make that point. The point I was trying to make is that if I were a freshman I would take a program that was almost sure to make the NCAA than a program that had a CHANCE and that by playing in the tourney and winning conference championships, etc. you would likely gain the notoriety to get into the NBA. Therefore I don’t blame him for decommmiting and as a lifelong state fan, legacy, and alumni I sure do hope he recommits but it seems unlikely to me.

    Second, @Primacyone the article that was posted, that I was responding to said “He chose NC State over Kentucky, UNC, Miami and Georgetown”, which inferred that he had offers from those schools if he “chose NC State over” them, does it not? You may be right, but I was responding to an article and the information therein.

    Don’t hang me out of dry because I have a pessimistic or realist (depends on you look at it) POV on the matter. I definitely hope the best for our team and have full faith that Gottfried will do whatever is in his power to get us there, but it will take time and some players are just out of reach because they are attracted to the prestige of other programs is all I’m saying. (not to say we don’t have prestige, but it’s been a while and we need to get it back).

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