Torian Graham decommits a few hours after re-committing. I need COMMITTING!! [Updated 4:45pm]

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After we found out earlier that Torian Graham had re-committed to the Wolfpack through a YouTube video, word has now hit the media that he is again “uncertain” of his choice.

From WRAL:

Multiple reports Thursday said Arlington Country Day (FL) shooting guard Torian Graham has re-committed to NC State, but Graham told WRAL that his commitment is ‘up in the air’.

Graham would only say that ‘something has come up’. WRALSportsFan will have updates as information is available.

As expected, Twitter blew up on the reports as well:

Jeff Gravely: BREAKING: Just spoke with @TorianG4 asking about commit to NCSU. “It’s up in the air. Something has come up.” Asked that I call back later.

Publicity? I understand social media is a part of the game now, but really? Really?

I really feel sorry for any 17 year old who appears to want to do something like attend NC State (which he has now pledged to do on two separate occasions) and may be receiving some kind of odd pressure from family/friends that is contrary to his obvious desires. I also would love to be a fly on the wall around the program tonight as Graham was supposed to be visiting and basically celebrating with his new family.

Backing the Pack has this update late this afternoon.

Since that news, we’ve gotten plenty of baseless speculation, because Twitter is nothing if not a highly efficient speculation delivery vehicle. The closest thing to non-speculation we have so far is this Pack Insider tweet which says Graham wants to be at NC State but “some things need to be taken care of.” So, uh, stay tuned.

We’ll try and keep you in the loop here & on Twitter. In the meantime you can follow real time conversation on a host of topics by clicking here.

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47 Responses to Torian Graham decommits a few hours after re-committing. I need COMMITTING!! [Updated 4:45pm]

  1. Rochester 12/22/2011 at 5:51 PM #

    I understand we all want him to come to NCSU, but some people need to calm down and find some other outlet for their diatribes. It’s embarrassing as a State grad to see the nasty posts because this kid’s struggling with his decision. His biggest mistake was not waiting to be 100 percent sure before opening his mouth. Doesn’t necessarily make him a bad kid.

  2. TruthBKnown Returns 12/22/2011 at 6:09 PM #

    I’m deleting the text of the original post that I wrote here because we now know this is about academic/transcript issues.

    I still mean what I wrote about someone being indecisive, committing, de-committing, etc. But since it was not a simple “change of heart” on his part, then I do not feel right in criticizing him in any way.

    I wish him the best, hope he gets his transcript “ducks in a row”, and we’ll see him at NC State in 2012 or 2013.

  3. fullmoon1 12/22/2011 at 6:50 PM #

    Maybe this isn’t the case with Torian but so many of these kids are being run by their entourages before they even get to college. Hopefully it is just semantics but it does not bode well or look good for wither party.

  4. Old MacDonald 12/22/2011 at 6:52 PM #

    He is a redecommit?

  5. Pack78 12/22/2011 at 6:56 PM #

    I remember a story several years ago about a GA FB player (highly recruited) that verballed to UGA to keep his family and friends happy and take the pressure off; signing day rolled around and he signed elsewhere (UF IIRC) which was his first choice all along. Sometimes these kids are under terrific pressure from those close to them and need to be allowed to work it out in their own best interest…

  6. Pack1997 12/22/2011 at 7:11 PM #

    Easy for people on here to tell a 17/18 year old kid to man up. Perhaps you have forgotten what it was like to be that old. Decisions are difficult to make at that age. I would argue even tougher without the support of parents. Back off and get over it.

    We have a good class if he comes to State or not. You have know idea what is going on with him or any other recruits. Easy to judge from your couch or chair.

  7. pack17 12/22/2011 at 7:12 PM #

    Any chance he recommitted without consulting the coaching staff and they informed him they were saving the final scholarship for a big? I don’t have any inside information and it’s hard to believe that a kid would commit without talking to the staff, but since it was done over a youtube video anything is possible. Just going on the “something came up” quote. Could be a number of things though I guess

  8. TruthBKnown Returns 12/22/2011 at 7:19 PM #

    Easy for people on here to tell a 17/18 year old kid to man up. Perhaps you have forgotten what it was like to be that old. Decisions are difficult to make at that age.

    I assume you’re talking to me (and a few others probably) since I pretty much went on a tirade about this above. 🙂

    There was the other part to my post. If you can’t make the tough decision yet, then DON’T make the phone call to the coach and say you’re coming. Even that is something a wishy-washy high school kid that can’t make the decision should be able to understand.

    EDIT : Again, since we know this is about his transcript, I am updating my posts so as not to criticize him for this.

  9. TruthBKnown Returns 12/22/2011 at 7:21 PM #

    AZCat (I know, not necessarily a credible source) is posting in the SFN forums that Dave Telep is reporting at ESPN that this is just an academic issue and that TG is still committed to State as long as his academics are in order.

  10. rtpack24 12/22/2011 at 7:27 PM #

    I believe Graham jumped the gun. I believe our staff has put some conditions on him that have not been met at this time. I do not think this is a case of him changing his mind. Hopefully he will be attending the game tonight.

  11. Rick 12/22/2011 at 7:33 PM #

    WOG has had a new coach every year for the past 4.
    Something is wrong there, at least with the basketball program.

  12. wolfpackdawg 12/22/2011 at 7:47 PM #

    If we are really his only offer? And I certainly don’t claim to know…then something is dreadfully wrong with this picture.

  13. ancsu87 12/22/2011 at 8:10 PM #

    Rochester +1

    “I understand we all want him to come to NCSU, but some people need to calm down and find some other outlet for their diatribes. It’s embarrassing as a State grad to see the nasty posts because this kid’s struggling with his decision. His biggest mistake was not waiting to be 100 percent sure before opening his mouth. Doesn’t necessarily make him a bad kid.”

    TBK – See professional and high level college “wishy-washy” coaches who have done the same thing. Why do you think 17/18 yr old kids should be different. Especially considering the decision is not really their own. There is a lot of influence in their life good and bad.

    If he comes to NC State that is great and I wish him well. If he decides to go somewhere else then I still wish him well and it is up to the coaching staff to replace him with an equal or better player. All the whining and bitching here will not change anything or help NC State BB. It could however make other recruits think about the fan base that calls a 17 yr old kid a “punk” without even knowing 0.0001% of the story.

  14. logarithm 12/22/2011 at 8:14 PM #

    He transferred away from WOG to a school in Florida for his senior season. Wrongdoing at WOG could be the root of transcript issues but you can be a good student and still have a puzzling transcript when you’ve been to 4 or 5 different high schools.

    I repeat, please do not scare the kid away by being a bunch of jerks.

  16. Aceman 12/22/2011 at 10:44 PM #

    this kid has had a rough time recently… I actually know someone who is close to him and we should all be understanding of his situation as it is not a good one. Please don’t give him a hard time.

  17. ADVENTUROO 12/23/2011 at 8:04 AM #

    Mrs. Mikey (Mickey) K. occasionally gives her opinion of some “issues” with the recruits that Coach K. is pursuing. Me thinks her radar would be on full alert when TG is within range.

    He may be a great kid with personal issues that no young man his age should have or he might just be the equivalent of Coach G’s “Chris Washburn”.

    I will trust Coach G and the stsff to make the right call if he FINALLY commits…

    This just has a certain smell that I’ve smelled before and the results were less than pleasant and ultimately lead to the death of a young and promising coach.

  18. tuckerdorm1983 12/23/2011 at 9:13 AM #

    I hope it works out for him. I would love to see him come to NCSU and think he could make a positive contribution right away. Whatever is going on I hope it gets straighten out. The video looks like it was taken by someone’s cell phone and they posted it on youtube. He may not have wanted that.

  19. Packfan28 12/23/2011 at 9:35 AM #

    Okay, so everyone can chill now. The commitment was made public prematurely, before all the transcripts were completely checked, and it turns out he does not qualify at the moment.

    He is truly a nice kid who has had some bad things happen to him, especially this year. Hopefully the academics can be brought up to snuff by the spring, and we will see him in a Wolfpack uniform next fall.

    (no “smell”, no conspiracy, no attitude problem, he just didn’t qualify)

  20. SuperStuff 12/23/2011 at 9:43 AM #

    I’m pulling for Torian Graham. If it’s transcript related I’m hoping he can get that fixed so he can come to NC State. If not this year then next year like Lorenzo Brown did. You hope for the best for the young man.

  21. TruthBKnown Returns 12/23/2011 at 10:50 AM #

    Glad to hear it was about his transcript. I really had lost respect for him if it was a simple case of changing his mind again on the same day that he had re-committed.

    I hope everything works out for him.

  22. hball57 12/23/2011 at 12:19 PM #

    More WOG trashing:

    From Rick “WOG has had a new coach every year for the past 4.
    Something is wrong there, at least with the basketball program.”

    From logarithm “He transferred away from WOG to a school in Florida for his senior season. Wrongdoing at WOG could be the root of transcript issues but you can be a good student and still have a puzzling transcript when you’ve been to 4 or 5 different high schools.”

    Assuming something is wrong regarding a school you have no direct knowledge of. And flying a comment about “wrongdoing at WOG”.

    So for all of you who make assumptions about WOG, let me set you straight. And for the record, I am not associated with WOG in any way. I did have a daughter go to school their for 2 years prior to her going to College on a basketball scholarship.

    WOG is a difficult place for a Boys basketball coach. The last three coaches came from outside the school. The coach before then is still with the school and moved over to be the football coach when they started 8 man football. It has been difficult getting the right fit with the standards of the school and the pressures of having so many talented players (and their families). There has never been any implication of academic issues at the school. Because of the size of the school, sometime student-athletes may have difficulty making up for past transgressions. They may, for example, need several core courses that are offered at the same time in the school day. It is also not a boarding school and does not give athletic scholarships, so many times other schools can offer something they would not be able to provide.

    I believe that their current coach, Randy Pulley, who is an alum of WOG and understands the issues there.

    I am sorry for this rant; I simply get tired of people lumping WOG in with the “basketball factory Prep Schools” across the country. I hate the blind accusations or speculations by those with no knowledge about the school. I intend to pay for my grandchildren to go to school there, so i am committed to the education that school provides. If you are interested in learning about the school you should check out the website (summerfieldministries.org) and look at what that school has produced.

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