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. vtpackfan 04/03/2013 at 5:54 PM #

    The ledge never goes away for some. It just moves.

    Lee ( really optimistic)
    Davis (maybe, Gott to give a shot)
    …and next year looks like a pick em rebuilding versus reloading.

    BTW. Cat Barber has a 3.75 at a real Virginia Public School. No Romper Room type schooling. He would have to really struggle with SAT/ACT to have his academics not in line.

  2. Wufpacker 04/03/2013 at 6:53 PM #

    Tried to tell y’all to read b/w the lines.

  3. MrPlywood 04/03/2013 at 6:54 PM #

    Suggestion for the official theme song of StateFans: Livin’ on the Edge by Aerosmith (this is neither an endorsement nor disapproval of Aerosmith and/or cheesy music videos…)

    Tell me what you think about your sit-u-a-tion
    Complication – aggravation
    Is getting to you

    If chicken little tells you that the sky is fallin’
    Even if it wasn’t would you still come crawlin’
    Back again?
    I bet you would my friend
    Again & again & again & again & again

    http://youtu.be/7nqcL0mjMjw

  4. BJD95 04/03/2013 at 7:04 PM #

    I am super confident re Lee, pretty confident re Davis and WBS (now that Buckets has officially re-upped).

    My projected starters:

    PG1 – Cat Barber
    PG2 – WBS
    Wing – Lee or Turner
    Stretch 4 – Buckets
    C – Anya

    Your bench is Turner/Lee, Davis, and Washington. I don’t know how game ready the latter will be, but we all know what MG thinks of his 8th man anyway. 😀

    Vandy only plays in a disaster scenario, I seriously would consider a walkon first.

    I like starting the game with dual PGs, and I suspect MG will promise that to keep WBS in the fold. But we have 120 guard minutes to split 4 ways, everybody should be happy. The key will be how much foul trouble Anya gets in, on average.

    Just my two cents.

  5. Wufpacker 04/03/2013 at 7:10 PM #

    You’re scaring me now Plywood. I been listening to Aerosmith all afternoon dude, no joke.

  6. highstick 04/03/2013 at 8:10 PM #

    ” just screws with my homeostasis.”

    Holy smoke…There’s a Yogi Berra’ism buried in there somewhere just waiting for a response!

    I take it that your insight is “odiferous”???

  7. JeremyH 04/03/2013 at 8:18 PM #

    “The key will be how much foul trouble Anya gets in, on average.”

    That’s why a big body, like a Davis, would be so important to avoid an important pitfall of this past season. Two years ago Painter protected Howell and Leslie but no such protection this year.

    If we don’t get Davis, still need an extra big body…

    Glad to hear Buckets is returning besides being projected ahead of Brown and Leslie, dodged one there.

  8. Wufpacker 04/03/2013 at 8:18 PM #

    LOL ‘stick. I was gonna tell him that there’s no “e” in homostasis, but figured that would just sour his mood even more*.

    Not that there’s anything wrong with that. 😀

    *EDIT – Well, that and the fact that he has enough dirt on me to blow my doors off at this point…so to speak.

  9. mak4dpak 04/03/2013 at 8:28 PM #

    I am just curious what TLs stats were as a starter. He played a great game when he started under the pressure of the Cameron crazies. and definitely gave our team a better chance to beat Miami, than Lo did in the ACC tourney. The guy has got great potential, and we need him.

  10. JeremyH 04/03/2013 at 9:11 PM #

    mak4dpak, I agree, Brown was awesome for us, but TL gave us a different look, a very steady hand and a pure passer. And once he got more playing time, his shot started to fall. Plus he knew how to draw fouls; just overall high BB IQ. Very talented and a four-year guy (gotta keep him).

  11. vtpackfan 04/03/2013 at 10:01 PM #

    The two freshman big men are in a dead heat coming in and it might be easy to think they would split time. If we a super fortunate to convince Josh Davis back home then I believe one will come out being the regular and the other that 8th man that can be seen as pseudo project material.

    I’m looking forward to seeing Washington and Anya in the fall and as the early season develops. One thing Washington has going for him is that you have to like his chances due to all the varied skills. He also played at Brewster and got a real good taste of what’s to come.

    Anya is a big unknown. Shot blocking and dunks under the basket are his strengths. I feel bad for him with how DeMatha went. This is not the Wooten teams of the past anymore. The guards were absolute ball hogs, and not very talented to boot. They would lose to teams that in the past would have just crushed. My sense is that the crazy, helter skelter Balto-Wash AAU style has infiltrated that once prestigious program.

  12. vtpackfan 04/03/2013 at 10:34 PM #

    These All Star games are pretty brutal to watch. Heck, most every AAU game I’ve watched in person are brutal. Defense is whack.

    That said, Cat Barber is just a streak on the court. He would make an incredible slot WR in today’s spread offense craze.

    If he and TL play many minutes together then who would you outlet to after defensive board?

  13. vtpackfan 04/03/2013 at 10:53 PM #

    Barber with a three right after announcer Jay Williams drops the “Tyler Lewis” might transfer line.

    Watching Meeks play right now. No way he makes this game besides the fact he commited to U*NC.

  14. vtpackfan 04/03/2013 at 11:13 PM #

    Cat just taking over. Alley oops, no look passes and power takes to the rim.

    Best thing I’ve seen is that he battles and slips over the top of every screen. He’s probably one of the two/three players playing hard on both sides of the court.

    Lutz is going to love scheming defense with Cat at the ready.

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