The bad news for Sidney Lowe, such as it is, is that he has no excuses if N.C. State does not make next season’s NCAA tournament. The good news is that with C.J. Leslie committing to play for him, he may not need any excuses.
If there’s an asterisk on Lowe’s four-year tenure without an NCAA appearance at N.C. State, it’s that he hasn’t had the right kind of talent -- first, Herb Sendek recruits; then, underwhelming recruits of his own.
With the addition of Word of God forward Leslie on Wednesday to a recruiting class that already included guards Ryan Harrow and Lorenzo Brown, the Wolfpack gets a first-class influx of talent on next year’s roster. And not just talent, but players recruited to play the kind of basketball Lowe wants to play.
Lowe won a lot of fans over with the way the Wolfpack improved in the second half last season. Now, with his most highly touted group of freshmen coming in, and one of the ACC’s highest-scoring post players back for his senior season in Tracy Smith, he is no longer in a position to point fingers at his personnel if things go awry.
After missing out on John Wall last year -- given his success at Kentucky, it’s hard to argue with that decision -- Lowe had a lot riding on the whims of Wall’s one-time teammate at Word of God. Leslie committed to the Wolfpack as a freshman in high school before backing off, and had he gone elsewhere it would have been an indictment of the program’s progress (or lack thereof) under Lowe. His decision to pick N.C. State over Kentucky and Connecticut serves as an equally resounding endorsement.
In landing Leslie, Lowe has put together a light version of the recruiting class he missed out on last season, when both Wall and Derrick Favors had N.C. State among their finalists. That would have been a program-changing haul. This class may not have the kind of immediate impact Wall and Favors might have had, but it has that kind of long-term potential.
Harrow and Brown should bring firepower to a backcourt that has been severely lacking in raw skill during Lowe’s tenure. Leslie adds difficult-to-guard athleticism to a frontcourt that already includes the shooting of Scott Wood, Smith’s reliable point production and the potential of big Richard Howell.
In terms of pure talent on the court, N.C. State may have been the least impressive team in the ACC last season. With Leslie and his fellow freshmen coming in, that surely won’t be the case this fall.
Luke has worked for The N&O since 2000. He covered the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL before becoming a sports columnist in August 2008. A native of Evanston, Ill., he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He can be reached at (919) 829-8947, @LukeDeCock on Twitter or
Comments
Harrow and Brown
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 15:15 — willncsuWill make a bigger impact than CJ. Discuss.
discuss?
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 21:48 — gvillegatrare you a member at CTG???
CTG?
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 10:45 — JPDOhioI have no idea what CTG is. But it does remind me of an old Mike Myers skit on SNL called something like "Coffee Talk".
Whenever Mike (playing a Jewish Lady talk show host) would get choked up, he would say "Talk among yourselves".
Classic.
snl
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 13:36 — gvillegatrthose were the days.
SNL was actuallly at its peak during the late 80's and early 90's. been going down hill ever since.
I'll take the bait
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 15:25 — Heels20And I could see that, but disagree to a point. I think CJ is pretty much guaranteed a spot in the starting line-up. Can't say the same for the other two. I believe Harrow and Brown could have bigger direct impacts than Leslie, as Brown will have many open looks at 3 and Harrow has the ability to score, but also get the ball to the playmakers around him. The reason I think Leslie will have more of an impact is because of the way his presence will completely open things up for his teammates. Tracy Smith can no longer be triple teamed. Scott Wood will no longer have a hand in his face every time he shoots the ball. The transition game will improve. There are so many reasons as to why he is such a valuable pick-up for this team. You could be right, though. CJ has taken plays off in the past, and that's something that people won't have to worry about with Harrow and Brown.
Good for the short term, questionable for the long term
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 11:42 — Heels20I got a call about an hour before CJ's commitment from someone telling me that he was going to State. I wish I'd been near a computer so I could surprise Gatr again haha.
I've followed CJ a lot because a year ago, Carolina and Kentucky were his top 2. We never offered him, and State's coaches continued to follow him literally everywhere he went. I've never seen a coaching staff recruit a guy so hard. Even during months when coaches weren't allowed by the NCAA to watch him, you'd see someone there. It was just wild.
As far as his skills go, if Sid can get him to work hard, he will undoubtedly be an instant impact guy. He and Harrow played in some tournaments together and have great chemistry. The main comparison people have been making is CJ and KG. I can kind of see it. The guy can pretty much do it all.
Next season, NC State will be a better basketball team. Write it down, bet on it, dismiss any worries of an injury ruining the season. The overall talent and depth on this team will be the best it has been since 2004 (2nd place finish in the ACC). However, if CJ declares for the draft after 1 year, which is something most of us expect, then it could really create problems for NC State's frontcourt in 2011-2012. Why is that? Well, Tracy Smith is arguably the best big man in the ACC. If he and CJ are getting all the minutes, which they will, it could really disrupt the development of Richard Howell and DeShawn Painter. With both Smith and Leslie leaving after next season, State will have little experience down low. Guard play will be significantly better then it has been in awhile, but they can't win every game by themselves. It'll be interesting to see how this turns out.
As far as Sidney's job goes, he will absolutely, positively have to make the tournament. If he takes them to the dance, I think his job is safe. If he makes it to the dance, but doesn't finish the season strong, fans will be calling for his head and he will remain on the hotseat. I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens.
Sorry for yet another long post.
Good post, as usual
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 13:16 — JPDOhioJust a couple of points in rebuttle.
1. I believe that Howell will play a lot, if for no other reason than to keep Tracy and Leslie fresh. When you factor in inevitable foul trouble, there is a nice rotation that Sid has to work with. So I don't think Howell is affected that much.
2. I wonder about how much Painter is affected by this. I can see his minutes decreasing significantly. I also heard Leslie say he would wear #5, which is Painter's number. So your point as it relates to him has legs.
3. I just read where Tracy has declared for the draft, but will not sign with an agent. If he goes, numbers 1 and 2 are resolved. I doubt he is gone though. I think he is just looking for a preliminary evaluation as he works toward next year.
4. I would be interested in your take on whether Leslie can or will spend any time at the 3 spot. I haven't followed his progression in HS, but his measurables seem suited for small forward.
5. If you start Smith, Leslie and Howell, what do you do with Scott Wood? I can see him getting time at the 2 guard in a regular rotation, especially with Lorezo Brown able to play point. In fact, I think Sid is salivating over the different combinations he can throw out there.
6. I agree completely that an occasional injury should not have anywhere near the impact it has had in the past. Sid now has depth that he only dreamed about up until now. There also will be competition at the 1 through 3 spots, which will make everyone better.
7. You know that I love Javi Gonzalez. But he had better bring his "A" game more consistently, or he will find his minutes fall to next to nothing. I believe that Brown and Harrow will be that good. And Sid is going to find a way to keep Scott Wood on the floor. His outside shot will improve next year, mainly because State will have more weapons on the floor and the pressure on him to score won't be as great. So, if he is in the guard rotation, that will be minutes that have to come from somewhere.
OK, that is more than a "couple of points". But, to close, I think most Pack fans would agree that we will take whatever short-term success we can get and worry about the long term tomorrow. And the long term, even is Leslie is a one and doner, looks bettter to me than it has for a while.
DITTY!
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 16:42 — bluecat69bluecat69what a SUCK-UP u are!!!!! go DUKE-CHAMPS!!!
Response to your points
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 14:09 — Heels201. I think that no matter what happens, Howell will see time on the floor. The only thing is, I feel like he just went from a starter to a guy playing maybe 14 or 15 minutes per game. In terms of depth, however, this is an ideal situation for State in the short term.
2. I heard the same thing about CJ wearing #5. It'll be interesting to see if that's a problem for Painter. I didn't see DeShawn play a whole lot this year, but when he did play, I got the idea that he was much better than most people recognized.
3. Just saw the story on Tracy Smith. A lot of guys are advised by their coaches to do this just so they can find out what they'll need to do in preparing for the next level. I believe that's the case with Tracy, but I am a little suspicious as to why he waited until the day after CJ commited to announce this.
4. CJ is most definitely capable of playing the 3 spot, but I don't see that happening. For one thing, I think he will be used to fill the "hole" left by Dennis Horner, not that it is really a hole. He'll be very valuable as a shot-blocker down low, and Scott Wood will be getting his time at the 3. The only issue is that posting up isn't exactly his specialty. He might want to gain a little bit of weight, but he'll do just fine as a power forward.
5. I don't think Howell will start. I'm thinking the line-up to begin the season will be Javi, Lorenzo, Wood, CJ and Smith (assuming he stays). As the season progresses, Harrow will see more and more time running the point, and may even win the starting job come ACC play. One of the reason's CJ's commitment is so significant is because he'll draw more attention from defenses. He has a 3-point shot, which means teams won't always be able to double up on Tracy Smith down low. As a power forward, he'll draw attention on the inside, giving Wood more open looks from 3 point range. Even Javi might be able to boost his shooting percentage because of this.
6. Injuries are never good, but as you said, they will be less of an issue this season. An injury to Tracy Smith would be really bad simply because he's an outstanding player who will be the leader-by-example of this team. As far as depth goes, if Lorenzo Brown suffered an injury, then State might have to move Wood to the 2 like you said, or they could see if CJ Williams can build off of the way he played toward the end of this past season. I've heard rumors that Julius Mays is transferring, so we'll just have to see how that pans out.
7. Harrow and Brown are both the real deal, without a doubt. However, I don't see as much pressure on Javi as some do. I think he will begin the season as the starter. If he improves as much this off-season as he did last off-season, then he may keep the job until he graduates. If he struggles some, then I think Harrow takes the spot. Lorenzo has the ability to play the point, but it's tough to determine if Sid is going to let him play at that position. The only reason I could see him being used there this year is because Harrow will be State's only true point guard once Javi leaves. Because of that, Brown could see some time at the point just to prepare him for the future. Overall, I see him as a 2 guard that jacks 3s.
Ah, all this speculation. I'm already pumped for basketball season. Barnes, Leslie, Bullock, Harrow, Marshall and Brown all coming to the triangle. Not to mention Kyrie Irving trying to pick up where Jon Scheyer left off. It's about to be a fun season on tobacco road.
Follow up
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 19:30 — JPDOhioPainter- I recall Sid saying last year what a hard worker he is. I also saw some good things when he had a chance to play, but he wasn't as steady as Howell. Hence the difference in playing time. Hopefully, Deshawn will use this as motivation. One thing we have seen from Sid-he plays whoever he thinks will give him the best chance to win. So no one should think they have it made on this team.
Smith-apparently his mom says he is coming back. That rings true. Besides, just the thought of Wood, Leslie and Brown raining 3's and opening up the middle for Tracy to operate should have Tracy thinking he died and went to heaven.
Javi- I don't disagree with your assessment. In fact, I hope you are right. My only point was that Javi has to minimize those times when he just went missing. In the past, Sid had few options. So Javi still had a chance to get minutes, even when he was playing poorly. If Brown and Harrow play as well as advertised, Sid will have legit options.
Julius Mays-At least one site has already reported that he is transferring. He is not included on Scout.com's projected 2010-11 roster. And that's why State has one more scholarship to give, perhaps to Mabry.
Injuries
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 12:54 — SurferAgree, State will be a better team, but I kind of disagree on the injury statement. An injury to one or two of these guys could make a signficant difference. (See Ty Lawson's big toe, Ed's wrist, Zeller's wrist and foot, etc...)
True
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 14:12 — Heels20I guess the best way to put it is that State is more likely to sustain injuries this season than in past years. David Glenn made the point that 3 years ago, Trevor Ferguson was State's 6th man. Now, there's potential future NBA talent coming off the bench. If Javi goes down, Harrow is there. If Brown goes down, move Wood to the 2 and put Howell in the starting line-up. If Wood gets hurt, move CJ to the 3 and start Howell. If CJ goes down, plug in Howell. If Tracy goes down, throw Howell in. Hm, after saying all of this, maybe Richard Howell is the one who can't get hurt.
There you have it.
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 15:34 — JPDOhioThis is the true value of CJ's commitment. His presence gives Sid flexibility in rotations and reduces the impact of an isolated injury to a key player.
Its gonna be do or die this
Wed, 04/28/2010 - 21:59 — chrismg1Its gonna be do or die this year for Lowe. With the players he has coming in, if state still finishes at the bottom of the ACC he is likely gone.
Sid Lowe putting it together
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 00:30 — peetiepupBy all appearances, it seems The Pack is positioned for a big step up, finally.
This is the best recruiting state has seen since Valvano days almost 20 years ago. Better, I would say. Most people still alive who remember those exciting years have at least a little gray hair now.
I've got my fingers crossed for you, coach Lowe. Thank you for staying with it and seeing these top recruits to signing. It has been a long time since things looked this good. Hang in there.
Lowe has only been in college coaching for four years. It seems he's catching on fast. I can't wait to see the new guys play.
one things for sure
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 09:52 — gvillegatrIf any of the three triangle schools ever get caught cheating, who do you think it will be? it has already happened once.
just saying something that has already passed through your brain about 2 seconds after Leslie was signed away from front leading (#1 cheat) John Calipari.
Nice choice of words
Sun, 05/02/2010 - 00:11 — mad_max"If any of the three triangle schools ever GET CAUGHT cheating..."
G-!!ALLIGATOR AKA- REDPUSSY-69!!!!
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 10:35 — bluecat69bluecat69get your facts straight, OL ROY is the one that put kansas on 3 yrs. probation, he is an identified cheater by the ncaa, calipari has never been indicated for cheating by the ncaa, ok, go DUKE-CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GET YOURS FACTS RIGHT ROY
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 09:00 — golfer_68GET YOURS FACTS RIGHT ROY HAS NEVER PUT ANY TEAM ON PROBATION. CAL @ UMASS PROBATION, CAL @
MEMPHIS PROBATION PURE SLIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
olroy aka "the cross-eyed beaver"
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 16:51 — bluecat69bluecat69cal has never been implicated as the cause u-mass and memphis were put on probation , ol roy the cross-eyed beaver has, remember kansas was put on 3 yrs. probation after ol roy was caught handing out money and clothes. ok, go DUKE-CHAMPS!!!!!
Yep
Wed, 04/28/2010 - 22:21 — JPDOhioI have defended Sid consistently over the last few years. But there is enough depth and talent on next year's roster that a top 4 finish in possible and perhaps should be expected.
Longevity
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 12:50 — SurferI too have said that Sid is doing a good job. All he needed was skilled athletic players to stay 2-3 years. Now that he has those guys coming in, how long they hang around may be the difference.
DITTY!!
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 10:39 — bluecat69bluecat69TOP-4? U NEED TO GET OFF OF THE WEED YOUR OBVIOUSLY ON, AS LONG AS SKID IS THERE , THE COLLEG WILL BE A BOTTOM FEEDER, OK, GO DUKE-CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!!
You made a mistake
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 08:04 — PuddentainAgain.
poontain
Sat, 05/01/2010 - 16:01 — bluecat69bluecat69ARE U AN ENGLISH TEACHER? I GUESS U HAVE NEVER MADE A MISTAKE, OK, GO DUKE-CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!!!
Re: too funny
Wed, 04/28/2010 - 20:24 — whollarBy the way, who was that other B. Davis guy at Quail Hollow? He went to State, didn't he? (hafta get warmed up for next year)....
Competition
Wed, 04/28/2010 - 20:22 — whollarIt would be pretty decent if WFU could regain some strength also, so that there would be meaning again for "Big Four". Polite Tar Heel fans have had to bite their tongues regarding NCSU basketball for too long, and look forward to being able to curse vituperatively at Sidney Lowe and Chris C. , as well as at their more talented players.
too funny not to share
Wed, 04/28/2010 - 18:30 — gvillegatrfor whatever reason, I get home from work and the tv is on ABC 11 and the sports guy at Quail Hollow doing his sports segment.
He said, "Bitch Davis. excuse me, Butch Davis was here too." -referring to Quail Hollow.
Freudian slip??? lol
like i said, too funny not to share.