DeCock: Now it gets interesting for Pack, Tar Heels

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Some interesting stuff in this piece from the N&O by Luke DeCock.  Please folks, read between the lines before going off the rails in the comments section.

DeCock: Now it gets interesting for Pack, Tar Heels (N&O)

For N.C. State and North Carolina, now it gets really interesting. It was no surprise that Lorenzo Brown and C.J. Leslie declared for the NBA draft, and even Rodney Purvis’ decision to transfer isn’t entirely shocking based on the way his playing time declined and the way N.C. State’s season went.

[snip]

There’s nothing new about this. N.C. State went through it last spring with Brown and Leslie, Duke with Austin Rivers and Mason Plumlee, North Carolina with Harrison Barnes and John Henson and Kendall Marshall, with only Marshall’s departure even a mild surprise.

What is new are the stakes: Warren is absolutely essential to the Wolfpack’s success next season, and Lewis isn’t far behind. The Tar Heels could stomach losing McAdoo, but losing Bullock or Hairston would put them in a tough spot, and losing both would be disastrous.

Warren’s father has said his son will likely turn pro if he’s projected to be a first-round draft pick, so the NBA’s advisory committee will have a lot to say about his future. With four starters already gone, Warren would be the focal point of the Wolfpack offense next year and a potential superstar in the ACC with his ability to play inside or outside.

Lewis’ name has come up in transfer speculation, as Purvis’ did before. With only one guard recruit currently signed – Anthony Barber – and transfer Ralston Turner the Wolfpack’s only other backcourt option at the moment, the Wolfpack really needs Lewis to stay.

 

Not mentioned in this piece for obvious reasons is the potential addition of JuCo newcomer Desmond Lee (if he chooses us, fingers crossed) and the potential re-addition of Josh Davis (again if he chooses us), as well as any other under the radar developments which might be going on.

Dez Lee visited Raleigh this past weekend and was scheduled to visit Creighton this week.  Josh Davis, who would be immediately eligible for any program to which he transfers, is apparently weighing various options including his chances at a jump to the NBA

With depth now being our biggest potential enemy, either or both of those guys would be a big help IMHO.

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About Wufpacker

A 2nd generation alumnus and raised since birth to be irrationally dedicated to all things NC State. Class of '88 and '92.

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64 Responses to DeCock: Now it gets interesting for Pack, Tar Heels

  1. tjfoose1 04/03/2013 at 2:40 PM #

    ” At the end of the day you have to be able to sell (A+), coach (B-/C+), and manage egos (INC).”

    Agree.

  2. cators34 04/03/2013 at 2:45 PM #

    I think we should go the euro route like some teams do. We need some 6’11” Hyro Gulosophus types who can jump in right away, have great shooting skills and stay two years before averaging 10 pts and 8 rbs for Sacramento in the NBA for 10 years. We’ll be competitive and even get to an elite eight every so often.

  3. Tau837 04/03/2013 at 2:58 PM #

    pq said: “I guess what frustrates me is that so many State fans seem to have completely bought into a coach that ran an extremely dysfunctional program at Alabama, and lo and behold, after one decent season here, it becomes incredibly dysfunctional. This is why he couldnt get a job for several years”

    Gottfried resigned at Alabama on January 26, 2009 and was hired at State on April 5, 2011. He was out of coaching for two seasons. You call that several years?

    Also, Gott was at Alabama for 10.5 years, and, depending on one’s perspective, he did a good job in the first 7-9 years. IMO it paints with too broad a brush to characterize his program at Alabama as “extremely dysfunctional.” It may have been at the end, but it wasn’t for most of his time there.

  4. eas 04/03/2013 at 3:20 PM #

    Nobody really knows/understands what is (or isn’t?) an issue internally with Gott & the team. We are better as a whole then we have been in a VERY long time and that is a “known”. Our program and fan base is more energized as a whole than we have been in a VERY long time. So for the issues I see of Gott that are negative the positives still outweigh them by a good bit. Two years from now I predict we will love or hate him but I think we will be relevant for the most part either way.

    That being said, I am happy for Purvis if he wants a different direction (he is a kid and is allowed to change his mind). I wish him the best but do wish he would stay.

    Tyler Lewis – I’m sorry but for the life of me I just don’t see how in the world Gott didn’t get him more (especially after he proved himself). I know my talk on WBS is off the subject here a little but seriously WTF does this kid have to do to for more playing time. He is short, a tad slow and maybe a little ruff with a few things. However, the kid produces good things on offense virtually everytime he is in with an extremely low turnover margin to match. He plays HARD and doesn’t bitch. He is a leader and vocal about it. He is the Russell Wilson of Wolfpack basketball.

    Ok I feel a little better now, where was I……I don’t see the sky falling at all just changes that were for the most part expected/possible with the exception RP. If Warren leaves it will be a big blow. Gott needs to figure out who is left and who can win as a team (meaning team players). Lowes players, Gott’s players, Jim Bob Billy Wackers players who cares. They are all Gott’s players as of 2 years ago. Great coaches don’t rely only on what they build they figure out how to use the parts they have on any given day. Ok Gott let’s see some good coaching and recruiting to put a team together. Go Wolfpack!

  5. tjfoose1 04/03/2013 at 3:26 PM #

    “I’m sorry but for the life of me I just don’t see how in the world Gott didn’t get him more (especially after he proved himself).”

    A reasoned response would include:
    1. Defensive Liability
    2. Instant downgrade/lowering the ceiling of the team’s one strength, transition offense

    Note, I did not include my own thoughts. Just stating what I see as an obvious argument.

  6. Wulfpack 04/03/2013 at 3:35 PM #

    Lewis was much more efficient than Brown. He should have seen more minutes.

  7. eas 04/03/2013 at 3:37 PM #

    I agree his defense is weak (he is short and not very quick). However, I think his transition offense is very good. I do see your obvious stated argument (in general) but it appears he runs the transition offense pretty well with his passing ability.

  8. partialqualifier 04/03/2013 at 3:43 PM #

    I ask that any doubters go and read some Bama blogs and notice how eerily similar all of this is.

    How are we in such great shape? After two full seasons as coach, and being left with Wood, Howell, Brown, and Leslie (any coach in the WORLD would have taken that), we now are faced with ONE returning scholarship player…Jorden Vandenburg.

    I think is sad that we have been so bad for so long, that we have lost common sense. He has coached two years…and inherited and amazing bevy of talent that most coaches go a lifetime without having. He has had one good year and one horribly underachieving year. 50/50 at best. What will you say after we go 6-12 next year?

  9. tjfoose1 04/03/2013 at 3:52 PM #

    “it appears he runs the transition offense pretty well with his passing ability.”

    Yep, but not as good as Zo. Even Coach K said he thought Zo was the best in the country at that. I personally would add the qualifier, “when he was on”.

    Also more TL time means less time for who?… Zo? Wood? CJL? RP? At what additional cost? On the court, and off? It’s not a linear variable.

    As someone who has juggled lineups and playing time, I can see how and why the playing time came out as it did, especially when considering the “maxing out THIS year” attitude going in.

    Gott was trying to ‘fix’ the team all year. There were personalities, attitudes, issues, and chemistry problems that ebbed and flowed throughout the season, never being resolved. Given that environment, I can understand TL being used as he was.

    If CJL and RP had attitudes and emotions more in line with Howell, I imagine the team would have been much more successful and TL would have gotten more playing time.

    Just providing a possible thought process.

  10. Tau837 04/03/2013 at 4:02 PM #

    I love Tyler Lewis. But the general impression of his play this year seems to be a bit inflated.

    eas said: “Tyler Lewis – I’m sorry but for the life of me I just don’t see how in the world Gott didn’t get him more (especially after he proved himself)… the kid produces good things on offense virtually everytime he is in with an extremely low turnover margin to match.”

    Facts (see http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/north-carolina-state/2013.html):

    Lewis had the third highest turnover percentage on the team (17.4), behind only Leslie (17.9) and Brown (22.2).

    Lewis shot 37.8% from the field, which was the lowest among the 7 rotation players. He also had the second lowest 3 point percentage (29.2%) among the rotation players.

    Lewis had the lowest steal percentage, second lowest rebounding percentage, second lowest block percentage, and the worst defensive rating among the rotation players.

    And for those who don’t know, all of these statistics are based upon just the time the player was on the floor.

    Like I said, I love Lewis, and I look forward to him running our team and playing major minutes for the next few years. I think he will improve a lot going forward. But these facts perfectly illustrate why he didn’t get more playing time.

  11. vtpackfan 04/03/2013 at 4:07 PM #

    Gott took Bama to the Dance five years straight starting his third season. They had one pretty disapointing year the 9th with some concerning chemistry problems, kicked the star player off who was the root of the problems at the start of the 10th and got canned mid-season.

    Bama boosters and their 1,100 loyal BBall fans could’nt have cared less if the team needed a “clear house” like we’re seeing this offseason. If this was Bama he would have been fired the day after RP transferred.

  12. Wufpacker 04/03/2013 at 4:08 PM #

    “I think is sad that we have been so bad for so long, that we have lost common sense. He has coached two years…and inherited and amazing bevy of talent that most coaches go a lifetime without having. He has had one good year and one horribly underachieving year. 50/50 at best. What will you say after we go 6-12 next year?”

    Wow, you do like to overstate things don’t you? Amazing bevy of talent? Horribly underachieving? Well, to each his own I suppose.

    How about we wait and see if we go 6-12 next year before we start condemning coach and program for it? If it happens then I’ll let you know then what I’ll say (hint: it’ll depend greatly on WHY it happened and not on what if’s from 12 months earlier).

  13. Tau837 04/03/2013 at 4:09 PM #

    “Lewis was much more efficient than Brown.”

    In what way? Some facts support this, others do not.

    Lewis had the second lowest Player Efficiency Rating among the rotation players, ahead of only Purvis. Brown’s was significantly better.

    Lewis did have a better offensive rating than Brown, but Brown’s defensive rating was better.

    Again, I love Lewis, but look at his performance objectively. And foose made excellent points about other factors that influenced his playing time.

  14. tjfoose1 04/03/2013 at 4:17 PM #

    “…we have lost common sense”

    He’s speaking for himself, Wuf’.

  15. Tau837 04/03/2013 at 4:17 PM #

    pq said: “we now are faced with ONE returning scholarship player…Jorden Vandenburg”

    We are? I am under the impression as of right now that Tyler Lewis, T.J. Warren, and Ralston Turner are all scholarship players who will return.

    I agree if none of them return, there is legitimate cause for concern.

  16. Thinkpack17 04/03/2013 at 4:23 PM #

    Hey Josh Davis, remember all that crap we talked about you when first signed with us?

    Man we was just playin….

  17. Wufpacker 04/03/2013 at 4:31 PM #

    ^ Now that’s funny 😀

  18. ringo 04/03/2013 at 4:41 PM #

    pq should leave after posting so much disinformation:

    Tyler Lewis ‏@tylewis_12 2m
    Had a great workout with the team today. Can’t wait till next season. Coach lutz one of the best in the business

  19. tjfoose1 04/03/2013 at 4:43 PM #

    pq in in troll mode today, busy dodging those falling pieces of sky.

  20. ncsu_kappa 04/03/2013 at 5:01 PM #

    nothing really to add here. I like seeing our wide ranging viewpoints and opinions of the same facts. Its why we are the lunatic fringe.

    I used to grow annoyed by it, then it was me, then I was annoyed by it, then it was me. Hey we are all family and want whats best for our beloved Wolfpack Sports.

    Get the venting out of your systems and lets wait for the dust to settle.

  21. doug 04/03/2013 at 5:13 PM #

    Ringo, I agree with you .QUIT the ifs. Some of you are part of the perceived problems. I prefer to wait and see. We may pick up two or three very good players from what we are hearing.

  22. MrPlywood 04/03/2013 at 5:14 PM #

    We should have a pool for transfers, recruits, and draftees so at least someone can come out ahead after all of this. Somebody set that up.

  23. ringo 04/03/2013 at 5:40 PM #

    lol, jp gigilo just reportedly tweeted that Warren is returning. Guess the trolls will have to go on with their miserable lives a while longer before they can run coach off.

  25. transylvania 04/03/2013 at 5:48 PM #

    Here is link to Giglio article re: TJW’s return:

    http://blogs.newsobserver.com/statenow/warren-puts-nba-on-hold-will-return-for-nc-state#wgt=rss

    Finally some good news!

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