Abu To Play Hoops At NC State

Basketball Recruiting38
BTlsMLjIIAAX4Xh.jpg largeMark Gottfried has made a solid addition to his 2014 recruiting class with the addition of Abdul Malik Abu:
North Carolina State landed a big commitment on Saturday afternoon as 6’8″ power forward Abdul Malik Abu announced his collegiate decision from the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts alongside Expressions Elite AAU teammate Jared Terrell.
Abu, regarded as Rivals’ No. 50 overall prospect in the class of 2014, gives the Wolfpack and head coach Mark Gottfried a huge boost in the class as he joins twin wing-shooters Caleb and Cody Martin in N.C. State’s 2014 recruiting class.

Abu picked the Wolfpack over finalists Florida, Providence and UConn, with Florida being NC State’s strongest competitor in the race to land the player’s commitment.

(photo via Twitter ExpressionsEYBL )

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  • 09/09/2013 at 3:45 AM #36487
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    ^ Yes, but in only 2 years.

    A rather important distinction to my way of looking at it.

    09/09/2013 at 2:21 PM #36488
    rtpack24
    Participant

    Abu is a big time player that will be able to play right away. We will no longer recruit Gary Clark who was a nice option if we did not get Abu. Abu and Clark are both really high character kids plus being good players. I like the kids this staff is going after.

    09/09/2013 at 2:49 PM #36489
    Pack Leader
    Participant

    rtpack24- I dont see why we would stop recruiting Clark. He is a 4star local boy who would add depth to an already thin frontcourt. Now I have never seen him play, but one would think he could add 15-25lbs as a freshman in college (which would put him at 6’8 225lbs). I say keep recruiting…

    09/09/2013 at 4:51 PM #36490
    redcanine
    Participant

    Too bad for Gary, but he’ll be alright. I assume that this ’14 class is complete, and if so, it’s one less thing for the staff to focus on.

    09/09/2013 at 4:53 PM #36491
    redisgood
    Participant

    Too late. I’m pretty certain we have stopped recruiting Clark.

    And I wouldn’t call the front court thin – Caleb and Cody Martin, Beejay Anya, Kyle Washington, Lennard Freeman, and Abu. That is six solid front court guys in 2014. I like it!!

    Throw in Lewis, Cat Barber, Trevor Lacey, Dez Lee, and Ralston Turner as ball handlers, and that is a really promising team.

    I have assumed TJ will be in the bigs next year.

    Three transfers, a couple of really good recruiting classes, and whammo – we have ourselves a deep, talented team. Great job by the coach.

    09/09/2013 at 5:19 PM #36492
    tuckerdorm1983
    Participant

    Strict Muslim means he will probably not being riding around in rental car from a felon, smoking pot and carrying a pistol that he throws out at a roadblock. I would say he would be disciplined and show great respect for the coaches. Look forward to seeing him play. Ramadan is in the summer so there should be no problem there.

    09/10/2013 at 8:32 AM #36493
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    2013-14 is an important bridge year. For my own personal amusement, I want WBS to at least temporarily rock the Talibeard. We can always refer to him as the American Talibeard instead of WBS.

    Or better yet, both. WBS, the American Talibeard.

    But we won’t insist that he give up bacon or anything crazy like that.

    09/10/2013 at 11:00 AM #36494
    Pack Leader
    Participant

    “And I wouldn’t call the front court thin – Caleb and Cody Martin, Beejay Anya, Kyle Washington, Lennard Freeman, and Abu. That is six solid front court guys in 2014. I like it!!”

    I have been a State fan too long to drink that kool-aid. The Martin twins are SF’s (6’6″ 180lbs) so dont count on them helping quickly downlow. Freeman was an unranked 3star recruit, so obvioulsy he will need time to devlop/mature before he can compete at a HIGH level. That leaves Anya, Washington & incoming freshman Abu.

    I’m not saying this roation cant work, but we would be one injury away from TROUBLE.

    KEEP RECRUITING…

    Note: I do believe Trevor Lacey is primed for a HUGE year in 2014

    09/10/2013 at 12:32 PM #36495
    rtpack24
    Participant

    Pack Leader I am not saying to quit recruiting Clark but it is a decision Gott and staff have already made. They will possibly sign a shooting guard, I believe his name is Blackmon that decommitted from Indiana. Lot of schools are after him and I do not know if we have a shot. Kid from Minn. that is a shooting guard that we went after for awhile committed to Xavier. If we can not sign a quality shooting guard this year I believe they will carry over scholly til next year.

    09/10/2013 at 12:33 PM #36496
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    This was a great pickup. I was getting nervous about our bigs situation for 2014. We look to be pretty set with Abu coming in and Freeman, Washington, and Anya having a year under their belt. Lots of guard depth, still don’t know how that will work with all the players and playing time. Hopefully they all get along.

    I would have to say that our recruiting has been on par with the leagues elite. Looking at the blues alone, Gott’s first class beat both UNC and Duke. His second is even with UNC (screw the rankings, Meeks is not top 25) and behind Duke (not looking forward to playing Jabari). This class is behind UNC but about even with Duke (I count Lacey as an addition in this class just as Turner in the last). Can’t ask for more than that…there is only one Calipari.

    09/10/2013 at 1:54 PM #36497
    Tau837
    Participant

    Per Verbal Commits, we still have open offers to these players:

    JC PG Jeff Newberry (2 stars)
    SG James Blackmon Jr. (4.3 stars)
    SF Stanley Johnson (5 stars)
    PF Gary Clark (3.7 stars)
    PF Ben Bentil (4 stars)
    PF Ray Kasongo (2.5 stars)

    For those saying we’ve stopped recruiting Clark, and the class is likely complete, does that imply we have stopped recruiting others on this list, like Newberry and Kasongo?

    Per VC:

    – Johnson has 20 outstanding offers, including most of the elite programs.
    – Blackmon has 19 outstanding offers, including most of the elite programs.
    – Bentil has 15 outstanding offers, mostly from programs in the Northeast. State is arguably one of the top few offers.

    Is it simply assumed that Blackmon, Johnson, and Bentil are headed elsewhere? I assume we’d take them if they were interested, but it looks unlikely that any of them will choose State.

    09/10/2013 at 1:58 PM #36498
    blpack
    Participant

    Good to have AMA on our side. Huge pick up. Now we can focus even more on ’15 and ’16.

    09/10/2013 at 3:44 PM #36499
    redcanine
    Participant

    Until Blackmon comes to Raleigh for an OV, I wouldn’t consider us to be in the sweepstakes. I read that our staff chased Abu around all summer long, and obviously the effort paid off. I can’t say that we’ve recruited Blackmon or Clark with the same prowess.

    I believe the open recruiting period began yesterday, iirc. Having this ’14 solidified with Abu gives us an early step on the ’15 trail. I’m looking forward to continued success.

    01/11/2014 at 9:29 AM #36508
    Gowolves
    Participant

    Clark had a quadruple double last night! What a stat stuffer!

    Clark posted 22 points, 21 rebounds, 15 blocked shots and 10 assists to claim a quadruple-double in the Greater Neuse River 4-A Conference win.

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