C.J. Leslie picks N.C. State

N.C. State landed one of its most noteworthy recruits of the Coach Sidney Lowe era on Wednesday afternoon when C.J. Leslie of Raleigh Word of God, one of the top dozen rated senior prospects in the country, committed to the Wolfpack.

"I'm going to N.C. State," Leslie said. "It is a great school and we can be good there. And obviously, Coach Lowe is a great coach."

Leslie, a 6-foot-8 basketball forward, picked State over Kentucky and Connecticut.

Leslie said Wednesday morning that he was undecided with Kentucky and Connecticut still in the the picture, but he decided during the day that he was sure he wanted to run with the Wolfpack.

"It was really up for grabs," he said. "It was really close with the other two schools."

The commitment to State was a return home in a sense. Not only will he stay in his home town, but he also will be signing with the school that he committed to after his freshman season.

Leslie committed after his first year in high school, but later decided that his decision had been too hasty. 

"But State was there all the time," he said. "State was always in the picture."

Leslie will be joining a strong recruiting class that includes Marrietta (Ga.) Walton guard Ryan Harrow, a top 25 player who is a close friend of Leslie. The two players wrote a blog last season.

State also has signed guard Lorenzo Brown of Hargrave Military, one of the top prep school players in the country.

The Wolfpack also is in the mix for Rocky Mount's Tashawn Mabry, the most valuable player in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A state championship and the Gryphons all-time leading scorer.

"I talked with Tashawn yesterday," Leslie said. "It's his turn next."

Leslie is ranked No. 12 in the country by scout.com, an on-line recruiting site.