NC State to Hire Sidney Lowe (6:45 pm – Towe to join staff?)
Chip Alexander and Caulton Tudor of the News & Observer broke the story today that NC State will hire alumnus and former Wolfpack point guard, Sidney Lowe as the program’s Head Basketball Coach.
N.C. State is set to hire Detroit Pistons assistant coach Sidney Lowe as its new head basketball coach, sources with knowledge of the coaching search said today.
The N&O has also pulled some old Sidney Lowe pictures from their archives that are accessible by clicking here.
UPDATE: Here are 2 names we are hearing with respect to a possible Lowe staff – Larry Harris (returning from a brief stay in the desert) and fellow DeMatha alumnus Pete Strickland, formerly the head coach at Coastal Carolina. Harris and Strickland are not confirmed. Just solid rumor at this point.
UPDATE #2: WRAL is also reporting Lowe will be named head coach. Key excerpt:
After a month-long and highly scrutinized search. It appears that NC State has found a head basketball coach. Multiple sources have confirmed to WRAL that former Wolfpack guard Sidney Lowe will be hired as the Pack’s new basketball coach.
Details of the contract are still being worked out, but all indications are that Lowe will be the next leader of the Wolfpack. Lowe is currently an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons. There are no details of an announcement.
UPDATE #3: WPTF radio is also reporting Lowe to NC State.
UPDATE #4: ESPN chimes in. Some additional news – ESPN says he will finish the playoffs in his current capacity as Detroit Pistons assistant where he could potentially add a World Championship to his collection of ACC and NCAA Championship rings.
UPDATE #5: The media disaster that is NC State Athletics has set Lowe’s press conference for Saturday evening at 5:30pm. That’s correct – Saturday, when the school can get the absolute least amount of free publicity and impact in the news cycle as possible. The 5:30 PC also falls right after the Carolina Hurricanes’ second round playoff game at the RBC Center. The post time of the 2006 Kentucky Derby is at 6pm on Saturday. Lowe’s hire will sneak onto the back page of most newspapers in the country on Sunday morning. Fans supposedly can watch the press conference live on GoPack.com. We’ll see how that holds up.
UPDATE #6: No word on a rumored third assistant yet – but we would recommend the most seasoned, experienced, technically proficient coach that can be found. A “Larry Hunter-type”. Lowe’s NBA experience and Harris’ recruiting prowess should do a good job of handling the talent acquistion needs of the program. Strickland looks to be a solid, well-rounded hire, and many are billing him as the potential x-and-o guy. An elder statesman with keen x-and-o insight would fit very nicely into the needs of the staff.
UPDATE #7: Don Shea reportedly stated on 680 AM this afternoon Lowe’s staff is in place but did not elaborate on any names.
UPDATE #8: The Charlotte Observer‘s report included some good news related to State’s highest rated incoming recruit:
Regina Davis, the mother of N.C. State signee Larry Davis, said N.C. State director of NCAA compliance Jon Fagg called the family Wednesday evening to say he was optimistic that the Wolfpack’s new coach would call either Thursday night or Friday morning to speak with Davis in person. Fagg, who didn’t tell the Davises who the new coach would be, declined to comment.
Told the new coach was expected to be Lowe, Regina Davis said out of all the names that came up during N.C. State’s 34-day coaching search, Lowe sounded like one of the best.
“I probably know more about Sidney Lowe seeing him behind the Detroit Pistons bench than I knew about any of these other coaches,” she said.
UPDATE #9: Beowulf makes a super point in SFN’s comments section:
Sidney Lowe won an ACC championship, and NCAA championship, and his team beat UNC with Michael Jordan and Sam Perkins without their leading scorer, Dereck Whittenburg.
DO YOU THINK ANYONE’S GOING TO TELL HIM WE CAN’T EXPECT TO COMPETE AGAINST UNC AND DUKE?
UPDATE #10: Wolfpackers on the internet try to start a pool predicting what time GoPack.com will crash during Lowe’s press conference on Sunday. So few Wolfpackers were willing to wager that GoPack would not crash that the idea of the pool collapsed.
UPDATE #11: The N&O modified their article this evening to include the following:
Lowe may not be the only former point guard returning to his alma mater. Although no staff members have been confirmed, it’s possible Monte Towe could leave his position as head coach at New Orleans to join Lowe’s staff.
A staff of Lowe, Harris, Strickland, and Towe would be a fantastic quartet and would help instill more excitement in the overall fanbase. Towe has gained valuable experience as the head coach at the University of New Orleans for the last five years. You can see his biography by clicking here.
…developing…
Don’t be surprised if Larry Harris is part of the staff.
So, if Sidney is the guy, how many years do we give him to get us to the next level????
Would like everyone’s opinion on this
Actually tRick, I can count 4 ways off the top of my head to take those words.
That video ROCKS!
If he really ends up coaching at NC State, I think everyone will support him, but for how long. He just doesn’t seem like ‘the guy’. I sincerely hope he does well and wins a championship his first year… but how will his success be measured? What will be enough, a home-win against Duke? Win over NC? Split? Winning ACC record, first round win in the NCAA? How long will YOU give him to produce before you start calling for his oust?
It would be in his best interest. If Sid fails he already has a new gig. If Sid is successful he can always say he hired him.
Obviously we have to give the new coach 1 year off. That is unfortunate that we may not be in the tournament next year, but it wouldn’t be fair to expect that right away since the mess we are in now. How many years to get us to the next level.
I back Sid, BUT now I’m so gun-shy I won’t believe it until he’s introduced at a press conference.
“choppack: So, there were NO candidates out there with college head coaching experience that wanted to come here?”
Not what I said – I said that the sure things did not happen. I considered the Sure Things guys who had significant success at the Major College B’ball level. These guys were specifically Barnes, Montgomery, Calipari and to a lesser extent Beilein.
None of the remaining candidates had solid proof that they could win in a major conference either.
I am not sure yet. Maybe by year 3 we definately have to be in the tournament. Year 5 and on Sweet 16? Is that too much to expect? Not sure, seems reasonable to me since we got tired of herb?
If it is Sidney then let’s rejoice and support him with all we have to offer. Another interesting angle is Sid is from DeMatha and knows the DC/Baltimore area like the back of his hand, so maybe the Chris Wright situation can be salvaged as well as improving our once fruitful area for recruiting! Remember K. Carr, Kenny Matthews, Thurl, Sid and Dereck all came from that area. Now that’s talent like we have not seen in 20 years!
Don’t forget that (if he comes back), Coach Harris was rated as one of the top recruiters in the country. Any the players love him.
I think the reason behind him being the choice is that he is from the ’83 team… period. This is smells like an act of desperation (by LF) to save face with NCS fans and alumni. It is a poor attempt to mask the incompetence he has shown throughout the coaching search.
Support Lowe, but Fowler must go!
Larry Harris and Sidney Lowe would be a great combo.
excellent points 74!!!!
Just added this to the entry:
“UPDATE: Here are 2 names we are hearing with respect to a possible Lowe staff – Larry Harris (returning from a brief stay in the desert) and fellow DeMatha alumnus Pete Strickland.”
I wonder of Sidney will coach a more wide open run and gun NBA style offense. It’d be an interesting contrast to what the Pack has given us the past 5-6 years. I just wonder if fast break ball is the best approach given our talent pool and oponents.
Hmmm. I wonder if Sidney Lowe was on the minds of those who wanted a coaching change.
A few things:
1) By that I do not mean that Herb leaving is bad for our program.
2) I also do not mean that as a prediction that Lowe will fail.
What I do mean by that is that those who used Lee Fowler as an excuse to not change coaches were, in fact, both correct, wise, and should have been heeded. The man is a walking calamnity and should have never been placed in this position.
Good link beowolf and wpack. I was there (in Reynolds) when it happened. What a great memory of days gone by.
i feel dizzy
OK, I have thought about it. I did like what Herb did, but I love the University more, so I have tried to be as fair as possible and have discussed this with a colleague to make sure that I am not too demanding in my hopes for the new coach. Since we did want someone to take us to the next level, here are my expectations for the new coach:
1. By Year 3 – NCAA Tournament appearances consistently (9 of 10 yrs)
2. By Year 5 – Sweet 16 Appearances consistently (3 of 5 yrs)
3. By Year 10 – Final Four Appearances occasionally (1 of 5 or 7 yrs)
It was very hard for me to come up with part three. Should it be 1 final four appearances out of every 5 years, or 7 years. Is that too high of expectations? Owell, that is what I will expect I guess. And if our new coach, whoever it is (again, not sure it is Lowe yet) meets those than I will not worry what we do in the regular season against Duke or UNC, because we would still have a very successful programs. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to be the hell out of them every time, but if we meet my NCAA Tournament expectations, I would forget all about what happens in December/Jan./Feb..
Lowe was always the consummate leader on the basketball court, maybe he is the man for the job. Let him have his way with his hires, give him some time, and see if he can bring it all back together again.
If this is actually the end, we couldn’t have asked for a better one!!!
I think it’s better than Barnes, especially Calipari, in the long run. They may have been a step up, but I wasn’t enthused with the thought of either at NCSU.
I AM PUMPED!
Now, on to the more serious stuff. Do you think he will be able to lure Bobby Knight out of Texas, as an assistant?
Justa joke, lighten up for cryin out loud.
Sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And just a few days ago it looked like it would be Steve Lavin.
Who cares what his coaching record was in the NBA?
He’ll be able to recruit and we can all support him. Let’s roll.
As soon as we confirm, I will be rejoicing. Definitely a man we can all rally behind!
I don’t have all the answers to these questions but I wish the naysayers would give it a rest for a few days.