Since returning to the Triangle from Australia, Julius Hodge has been everywhere — N.C. State games, the ACC tournament, sports talk radio, cable television, Twitter — you name it.
The 2004 ACC Player of the Year has basically been the No. 1 Wolfpack basketball fan since he moved to Morrisville after finishing his third season in Australia and first with the Melbourne Tigers.
"It's good to be back around the program," Hodge said. "I love N.C. State and I feel like I have a connection with the fan base."
That was evident at the ACC tournament where Hodge received a standing ovation — the biggest roar of the weekend — during State's third-round loss to Georgia Tech.
It hasn't taken Hodge, who starred for the Wolfpack from 2002-2005, long to ingratiate himself with the team's current players. He has worked out at the Dail Basketball Complex on campus and got a unique look at some of the current players and future players, including McDonald's All-American C.J. Leslie.
"C.J.'s really good," Hodge said. "He's got long arms and to be able to dribble that well and shoot like a guy that's 6-1, he's going to make the Pack a real threat."
All the new options, with Leslie and guards Ryan Harrow and Lorenzo Brown, are going to help forward Tracy Smith, Hodge said.
"I know Tracy's loving it, he finally gets a chance to play one-on-one," Hodge said.
Hodge's basketball journey after helping N.C. State to the NCAA tournament four straight years, started in the NBA with Denver in 2005-06 and then Milwaukee the next season. But his NBA career was derailed when he suffered gun-shot wounds in both legs after a drive-by shooting in April 2006.
The former first-round pick tried pro ball in Italy and France before settling in Australia. Confident as always, Hodge said he'll find a spot in the upcoming NBA summer league and a veterans camp, "if there isn't a lockout."
In the meantime, he has his young daughter Michaela to take care of — and religiously tweet about their trips to Chuck E. Cheese — and he'll hold his first basketball camp (camp24hodge.com) in Raleigh in early June.
Comments
Wow
Mon, 05/03/2010 - 13:11 — Heels203 days since anything new has been posted. Come on, this was an easy weekend to get a good conversation going. Let's see...
1. Who has the better recruiting class/future: UNC or NC State?
2. NC State takes the series from GT, the nation's 4th best baseball team.
3. Is the commitment of Tyler Adams an indication that Coach Krz;skljfdaslkjd is looking to re-implement the run-and-gun style offense with a true big man (see 2001 championship team).
4. Lee Fowler possibly headed to Mississippi State?
Ask and you shall receive
Mon, 05/03/2010 - 16:20 — JPDOhioWithin an hour of your post, a new entry came on the blog. Actually, the break was kind of nice and now is the time when things generally settle down for the summer anyway.
I am sure JP will be coming out with his pre-preseason assessment, although he is probably waiting to see how the early entries to the NBA draft sort out. Besides, the Pack may get another commitment this year to add to the discussion.
One thing I do know. Leslie and Harrow like to talk. Their optimism is refreshing and, I think, a positive thing. That assumes that the returning players on State's roster will welcome them with open arms, as has been suggested in some of the recruits' comments.
I am guessing ACCNOW will be more active than usual this summer with the ongoing interest in football and the excitement generated by the new recruits (for all 3 triangle teams).
And, if Fowler leaves, the site may crash under the weight of the comments that will be flying in.
State's New Look on the Court
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 19:05 — charles2I am very impressed with Lowe's ability to recruit and or be in the running for some of the top talent in the country. With the signing of CJ and with the other members of this class of Harrow and Brown and if Tashawn Mabry signs as anticipated, State should have one of the top 10 recruitng classes in the entire country.
Harrow has been described as an "assassin" because of his prolific ablity to score and Brown is considered by many to be an outstanding talent. I have seen Brown play on several occasions and he is very well disciplined on the court and he makes everyone around him better. He can score and he is a facilitator. He reminds me of a larger Chris Paul because of his ability to control the game.
One of the things that I am excited about is that now Lowe has the horses to run and really play a fast tempo game. I am so tired of the Pack socring 60-65 points in a boring game of basketball. I would hope that Lowe would break Harrow and Brown in together as a tandem because they are certain to be around for at least 3 years if not 4. It is imperartive that they play enough together to form the new team of Fire & Ice(Rodney Monroe and Chris Corchinonni.
This has been a great day in Wolfpack land.
re:phrases
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 18:50 — whollarDown here, it is, "When we up at three, we go to pee, then go back to bed so we can wake up when my daughter does."
How did his lil phrase go?
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 11:01 — aideanHow did his lil phrase go? When we hungry we eat, and we hungry. Haha love that one.
Phrase(s)
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 11:31 — Heels20There are quite a few. How about:
When you hungry, you eat. When you a frog, you leap. If you scared, get a dog.
New York is the place to be. I could wake up there at three in the morning and decide to go to the store for some chips and snapple and there would be cars racing down the street and people walking around everywhere. If I do that here, I'd probably get attacked by a deer.
HOLES-20!!
Sat, 05/01/2010 - 12:55 — bluecat69bluecat69CAN U SAY"REDNECK"