Wolfpackers everywhere are desperate for some good news. So - no matter how subjective the good news may be - we wanted to link ESPN’s recent article from recruiting guru Bob Gibbons.
Gibbons ranks the 2009 college basketball recruiting classes as they currently stand and there is good news for NC State fans as the Wolfpack currently fill in at #6 in the country on the list.
Coach Sidney Lowe has again landed recruits from the talent-rich state of Georgia; among them are two ESPNU 100 players. Lorenzo Brown (Roswell, Ga./ Centennial), No. 48, can play both backcourt positions, and 6-8 PF Richard Howell (Marietta, Ga./ Wheeler), rated No. 58, will join him in North Carolina. Howell played on the same travel team as N.C. State’s freshman standout of last year, J. J. Hickson, who was drafted by the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. Howell has the potential to make an impact comparable to that of Hickson for the Wolfpack next year. Coach Lowe also has a commitment from one of the nation’s best perimeter shooters, potential ESPNU 100 prospect 6-5 2G Scott Wood (Marion, Ind.). Although the Wolfpack now have players for all three of their available scholarships, they are still involved in talks with No. 81, 6-5 G/F Garrius Adams (Apex, N.C./ Middle Creek).
Obviously, Gibbons does not reference that NC State still has not been ruled out by either of the nation’s top two prospects - point guard, John Wall; or post player, Derrick Favors.
Gibbons current rankings are as follows:
(1) North Carolina, five verbal commitments
(2) Villanova, three verbal commits
(3) Georgetown, three verbal commits
(4) Texas A&M, three verbal commits
(5) Marquette, three verbal commits
(6) N.C. State, three verbal commitments
(7) Connecticut, two verbal commits
(8) Florida, two verbal commits
(9) Georgia Tech, four commits
(10) Illinois, four verbal commits
Call me silly but from what I’m reading, we’re easily in the top 3 for Favors. Favors would get instant PT his first year here as well, since we’re only bringing in 1 “Big” next year in Howell and Smith will be the only big left on our roster after Costner/Mccauley/Horner are gone.
If Favors comes to state and we don’t have those nasty injury/chemistry problems I see no reason why we could not be a Top 3 ACC school that year if not #1.
Scott Wood has to be underrated. That kid has a cannon from long range and can knock it down from anywhere, anyhow. I think he’ll move up in the rankings some by the time it’s all said and done.
One more big time player and we will probably have the #2 class behind the tarholes. Can’t rember having this good of a class at any sport. Brown and Howell will both be 5 star recruits by the end of the season and I expect Wood to be a 4 star. With ‘10 class we have chance of watching one of the best teams ever at State!
I knew Howell was a nice player, but this statement surprised me:
“Howell has the potential to make an impact comparable to that of Hickson for the Wolfpack next year.”
Also, staff deserves props for identifying Wood - and I belee we were some of the first to offer eventual high risers Wall AND Kelley.
dammit you guys, i told you, don’t get me amped up
Does anyone no anything about Hunter Mclintock? He looks like he would make a good fit for the recruiting class.
I no nutin…sounds like you know a bit…who is he? where’s he from? If we don’t get Favors or another “big” in ‘09, we’ll be extremely small and fast. If we get Favors, I can see us making a huge impact on the College Hoops scene…don’t get me excited!
Well what i Know is that he is a small fast point guard from Durham who was being recruited by Kentucky. I have no idea if we have looked at him but he looks like the next Steph Curry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXaDsPPq-N4
I couldn’t find him on Scout. Looks pretty good, but he’s got a different game than Curry. Looks like a modern day Pistol Pete to me. What year is he? For ‘09 I think we really need one more “big” - are you listening, Derrick?
Good job by Lowe and staff. I see Hewitt at Tech bringing in more top recruits, durn if anyone can figure out what happens once they get there except for the one year they went to final.
Sounds similar to the Inge, Miller, Kelly, Williams, Thomas, Anderson class.
Mcclintock is on scout as a 1 star so they have not reviewed him. what got me wondering was that pack pride was the site that featured his profile.
http://northcarolinastate.scout.com/a.z?s=178&p=8&c=1&nid=3072746
Let’s hope that we do not turn into Georgia Tech.
VCR now stands for Verbal Commitment Rankings?
unless its a snafu it says he’s in the ‘08 class so, that means if he didn’t go to college he could be found at your local Burger King
I have seen Lorenzo Brown play many times. He is a great talent and I really think this a good fit. Actually, after seeing him play as a sophomore, I told my dad he would be a wonderful addition for almost any ACC school. I have also seen Howell play a time or two and he plays with a lot more heart and determination than some of the others that were more highly recruited a/o ranked (2008 or 2009 class).
The talent coming out of the Atlanta area has skyrocketed in the last few years and I, personally, couldn’t be more excited about that (since that’s where I’m from). I’m also really excited to see that Coach Lowe has been recruiting from the area so heavily. It’s imperative that NC State make our presence known in Georgia since there is so much talent there right now and especially because of our proximity.
If the past few years are any indication, then I can completely see basketball recruiting in GA becoming similar to football recruiting in FL (if there’s a bandwagon - I’m not jumping on it, I’ve been telling my dad that for at least three years).
This is good news but I’ve been fooled by this so called “good” news once too many times before as a Pack fan. No more. Not until I see it on the court. Remember we were preseason #3 in the ACC last year? Next year is always our year. Call me a pessimist, but I’m not getting my hopes up just to be let down again. I’ll enjoy it when it happens.
Would be nice to dot the ‘incredible’ with a Favors or Walls. Even still, Sid & staff did well.
Noel Johnson is very much in the mix as well.
I think we will get another big, it’s just a matter of which one. And as far as being short on bigs down the road, CJ Leslie currently at 6′ 7″ should grow at least 2-3 inches over the next two years and at the current rate should be a solid contributor walking in the door.
Johnson and Favors would be a great combo. Definitely a top 3 clas - maybe top 1 or 2. A “real” Fab 5!
I’ve been fooled by this so called “good” news once too many times before
Ever hear of Dinky Proctor….the next Magic Johnson? More recently, the Julius Hodge class was a consensus Top 5 class…and that class was followed up with four transfers out of six scholarships awarded over the next two years.
Bottom line:
- It takes more than one class to build a program.
- I want the best athletes that Sid can get in Raleigh. But I’ll wait and see what they do against ACC competition before I get excited.
^I’m with you VAWolf. Count me in the school that doesn’t get too excited about recruiting rankings. The science is inexact at best. When a freshman makes a true impact in a Wolfpack uniform, THEN I’ll get excited.
Recruiting rankings are fine. It’s consistently getting top classes that matters. If we had 4 straight Hodge classes, there would have been a team out there eventually with 4-5 all-ACC caliber players.
Our problem has been the “good news” classes are followed with years of poop.
2007’s incoming class was a highly ranked recruiting class.
2008 was not.
If 2009’s is good - and it looks like it will be, talent cannot be argued as an issue for the 2009-2010 class.
I’m hoping that the 2008-2009 season will put to rest any questions on Lowe’s coaching ability (in the positive.)
2007’s incoming class was a highly ranked recruiting class.
And the reason it was highly ranked is gone.
I’m hoping that the 2008-2009 season will put to rest any questions on Lowe’s coaching ability
State won’t be any better than its guards. To be kind, let’s just say that what kind of guard play State fans can expect is unknown at this point.
Lorenzo Brown sounds like a cross between Lorenzo Charles and Chucky Brown to me.
“Lorenzo Brown sounds like a cross between Lorenzo Charles and Chucky Brown to me.”
Thank heavens we got the good combination… Chucky Charles sounds like a culinary disaster waiting to happen…
Could have been Charles Brown too…
It probably would have been more appropriate given the current state of State.
^Good Grief
Charles Brown… the particular sketch where Lucy asks if it’s a burden walking around with all of that potential would be quite apt….
“Noel Johnson is very much in the mix as well.”
I’m not so sure. I think Wall, Favors & Adams are the only 3 that have offers right now.
^We are rumored to lead for Noel Johnson as far as his perspective goes. It also been rumored over the past couple of years that Favors and Johnson would not mind a package deal, but proably not alot to this story at this point, unless they come here or go to GT.
**** Noel Johnson (SG/SF) http://basketballrecruiting.ri…707&sport=2
Fayetteville, GA (Fayette County HS)
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 180
Leaders: Rivals lists NC State, USC, and UCLA as his leaders. GT and Louisville were at one point very actively recruiting him.
Based on the “information” coming out of the basketball office and the caravans for whatever that is worth, we are targeting one more big and one more guard for a five man class.
Having said that Noel could be the big as we may be looking at him for a Forward position. http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewrank.asp?ra_key=1912
Whatever happens from this point, I fell good about the whole situation. A top 10 class is a top 10 class.
Just saying, I wouldn’t get my hopes too high for Johnson from what I hear.
Favors will visit next week, had a good trip to GA.
Yea. I don’t have my hopes up for Johnson. He’s a back up plan from my perspective. However, the #7 SF in the country is not a bad back up plan!
Just wishful game planning here, but if you had a class of Brown(PG), Wood(SG), Johnson(SF), Howell(PF), and Favors(C). Well, it would be time to get that red coat out of the closet.
Johnson has had bad publicity in the blog world. Louisville and Georgia Tech both backed off of him. The word on him has been that he has his mind so on the NBA that he wants a program to build around him for the 1-2 years he will be there. The word is also that his father has been very overinvolved in his recruiting to the point that programs don’t think he is worth dealing with. That’s what’s on there. Take it or leave it.
2 out of Wall, Favors & Adams would be outstanding!
Sidenote: Who even remembers Johnson now? I was just wondering where we got an extra scholarship spot for next year and I had to go back a few blog entrys to realize that it was because he was gone.
Wall is becoming much less likely to come to NCSU, Favors interest is rising–No doubt related to the rest of the class we have assembled, he’d have a senior speedster PG feeding him the ball, along with multiple other playmakers (Brown,Javi,Mays), solid supporting cast (Wood,Williams,Thomas), and possibly the 2 potentially best forwards in the ACC (Costner, Smith)… I think we may end up signing him. Throw in Favors anchoring the paint and if no one starts the Costner diet, we could be a ACC title contender.
I meant Noel Johnson, not Marques.
I would be very surprised to see Brandon playing for the pack next year. Either he will show he is ready to play in the NBA this year - or will have to go overseas to play ball. If overseas is his best option, I don’t see him coming back to play for a year after he has graduated, even if he has a year of eligibility left.
If he doesn’t come back next year we’re going to be VERY lean inside if we don’t pick up Favors.