Dez Wells needs a new college basketball team after getting expelled from Xavier earlier this month.
Wells, who's from Raleigh, told the Memphis Commercial Appeal on Tuesday night that he's considering transferring to N.C. State, Maryland, Memphis and Louisville. Kentucky is also believed to be in pursuit of the 6-5 wing who averaged 9.8 points and 4.9 rebounds for the Muskateers as a freshman last season.
Wells spent a turbulent year at Xavier. He was expelled from the school on Aug. 3 for a "serious violation" of the code of student conduct. Prosecutors presented allegations of sexual assault against Wells to the county grand jury in Cincinnati, but the criminal charges were rejected.
Still, Xavier upheld the decision to expel Wells, who was suspended four games during the season for his role in a brawl with crosstown rival Cincinnati.
Wells played three years of his prep basketball at Raleigh's Word of God and his former teammates include N.C. State's C.J. Leslie and NBA star John Wall.
Wall and Wells remain close, one of the reasons Kentucky is considered to be a favorite to land Wells, who would have to sit out the season under NCAA rules. He would have three seasons of eligibility remaining.
N.C. State has three available scholarships, with as many as four more coming open for next season, but the Wolfpack would need guard help this season, moreso than next, when LSU transfer Ralston Turner will be eligible.
Comments
what is the latest on
Fri, 08/31/2012 - 19:22 — camrenwhat is the latest on purvis' staus? and what happened to torian graham?
Hmm
Thu, 08/30/2012 - 17:08 — mad_maxFor me, I sure don't want this guy playing for State. Whether he's innocent or not, I don't think we need that kind of baggage right now.
Anyways, I see it's already being discussed, but I haven't heard anything about NC State expressing interest in this guy...and I hope/expect it stays that way.
Not surprising
Thu, 08/30/2012 - 09:07 — gvillegatrIs anyone shocked Gotfried is recruiting a guy who was expelled from another school? Forget he is from Raleigh bc if he couldn't help the team, he wouldn't be recruiting him.
At some point you simply ask yourself, "is the juice worth the squeeze?"
One year at the helm and apparently it is bc a pattern is starting to form.
I don't fault Gottfried for
Thu, 08/30/2012 - 16:55 — Heel1963I don't fault Gottfried for considering bringing him in. Sounds like the kid got a raw deal from Xavier. I doubt he ends up going there anyway.
Question
Thu, 08/30/2012 - 09:36 — JPDOhioIs Dez being recruited or is he just saying where he is thinking of going?
Second question: If Dez is being recruited, isn't he entitled to a second chance on a short leash, especially since there apparently was not enough evidence to actually indict him?
I recall that Jim Tressel had a reputation for giving troubled players a chance to redeem themselves. Oh, wait, maybe that's not the best example. Never mind.
Valid question
Thu, 08/30/2012 - 09:53 — gvillegatrFirst, i'd like to apologize for the illiterate sentence in the last paragraph. The mind got in front of my fingers.
Second, you have to ASSume that feelers are already out there whether the kid has inquired or state has inquired. state is on the list so there has to be mutual feelings about coming home.
Third, when you are expelled from a school as an athlete, your next opportunity shouldn't be a lateral move no matter whether you are willing to sit out the year or not. You need to be relegated to a lesser division in a not so savory destination. Blinn College comes to mind. No matter what Cam won at Blinn College, he was still living in the middle of nowhere for a year and apparently it did him some good. That's the idea.
Fourth, as a state fan - do you want a guy who has raped someone and gone Art Heyman on the basketball court all in the same fiscal year?
You'll get no advantages over UNC when it comes to basketball, so this isnt a question of jealousy, but a serious question for state fans to consider.
Answer to Question #4
Thu, 08/30/2012 - 13:23 — JPDOhioVery likely, no.
The only exception would be for a basically good kid who got caught up with the wrong crowd and was genuinely sorry and willing to repent. Even then, the terms would be zero tolerence, one strike and you're out.
An example of the exemption is a kid who got in trouble at Ohio State, got kicked off the football team and enrolled at Youngstown State. He was back around his family, which provided support and discipline, was truly sorry about his actions and finished his college football career as a positive influence on the team. Then there was Maurice Clarett, who YSU's Athletic Director told me he would not touch with a ten foot pole after he was booted out of OSU.
I suspect Dez is closer to Maurice on the spectrum than the other kid and, if he is, State should not touch him. But I am not opposed to helping a kid rehabilitate if he really commits to changing his ways.
A good kid who got caught up with the wrong crowd
Thu, 08/30/2012 - 17:33 — gvillegatrWe (all of us) use this excuse wayyyyy to often. You never hear anyone say, "well, he was the ring leader of that motley Crüe! Ha! And we're all sorry after we've done something.
I'm all for rehabilitating myself, but these kids need to do it where the spot light isn't there. For example, Blinn College.
You put these kinda kids at another Div 1 school in a major conference and he is not going to learn a damn thing other than what he did was going to be ok again.
Take your guy who went from osu to YSU. He learned a tough, but fair lesson and apparently (since it is coming from you) is doing well.
Point taken
Fri, 08/31/2012 - 13:01 — JPDOhioI would assume that Dez is going to sit out a year, no matter where he goes. In the YSU case, normally a player from a BCS program would not have to sit out a year, but the kid I was referring to did sit out as part of the redemption process. And he had other restrictions placed on him as well.
I am totally in sync with you when it comes to bad apples whose only positive quality is athletic talent. If Dez falls into that category, State should avoid him like the plague. Those guys usually do more harm than good and there certainly appears to be a pattern of behavior here that doesn't look good. But I would certainly investigate the situation before making a decision.