N&O: Hickson To Test NBA Waters

07-08 Basketball131

As we indicated just a couple of days ago…

RALEIGH — N.C. State freshman J.J. Hickson will enter his name in the NBA Draft but he will go through the process without hiring an agent, Wolfpack coach Sidney Lowe said Monday, leaving the door open for a possible return.”He’ll test the waters,” Lowe said. “He’ll get all the information he can and decide what’s the best thing. It may depend on where he’s going in the draft.”

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07-08 Basketball

131 Responses to N&O: Hickson To Test NBA Waters

  1. Astral Rain 03/18/2008 at 8:51 AM #

    Question: do you think a massive write-in/e-mail campaign to Coach would get him the message. I do think he cares about the fans and would listen, I don’t know if that would be effective at all though.

    SFN: Do you mean “Coach” Fowler? or Coach Lowe?

  2. Cardiff Giant 03/18/2008 at 8:53 AM #

    So long.

    Fare well.

    Auf weidensehn.

    Goodbye!

    It sucks to admit it, but spending another year in this trainwreck of a basketball program doesn’t seem an ideal way to enhance JJ’s status – unless standing out as a pearl amongst swine would do that, and I don’t know enough about the esoterica of the NBA to make that claim.

  3. Mr O 03/18/2008 at 8:57 AM #

    SFN: The main reason I thought this staff would be successful was that I figured Sidney would be a good recruiter and could manage games and handle X and Os. Larry Harris would continue his role as the lead recruiter for our program, and then the the two former head coaches would handle daily operations in terms of schedules/workouts/practices/running a college program.

    So I guess it didn’t work out that way.

    SFN: I think that you are really close to getting it right. That IS the way that Coach Lowe can be successful. That is not the way that this particular staff is executing.

    Sidney needs a lot of changes – one of which is a “Larry Hunter” type of coach with years of tactical and organizational experience on the legitimate college level. how is Sidney supposed to have connections to this hypothetical hire in light of the fact that he was in the NBA for 15 years. Wouldn’t our AD who “knows basketball” so well be able to help him find a couple of staff members to help correct the OBVIOUS failures of this staff – defense, rebounding, fundamentals (like bounce passes and stepping towards passes), strength and conditioning, etc.

  4. Rochester 03/18/2008 at 8:58 AM #

    Also, was there any type of chemistry problem because of a problem we experienced way back early in Herb’s tenure that caused a player to essentially be forced to leave the program?

    How about a referesher for those of us with failing memories?

    SFN: Adam Harrington vs Archie Miller

  5. Cardiac95 03/18/2008 at 8:58 AM #

    [Also, was there any type of chemistry problem because of a problem we experienced way back early in Herb’s tenure that caused a player to essentially be forced to leave the program?

    SFN: Ding. Ding. Ding. You obviously already know what you are talking about you sly devil!]

    We really are stuck in Groundhog’s Day…

    So in summary, what we have here is a Bizzaro World version of the Matt Doherty situation.

    – Substitute immediate success (D’s Final 4) with a lack of success (L’s NIT/Losing Season).
    – Substitute raging lunatic personality with a “player’s coach” mentality.
    – Fill in your favorite here _____________.

  6. Rick 03/18/2008 at 9:00 AM #

    “Perhaps recruiting, selling the program and being public is Lowe’s forte and is what he is particularly good at. Perhaps he needs a different set of lieutenants on staff with skills that COMPLEMENT his strengths as opposed to MIRRORING his strengths.”

    Excellent point. It seems like we need a “ball breaker” to instill discipline that we lack.

    Again, it sounds like Lowe needs some guidance that he will not get.

    The more I hear the more flabbergasted I am the way LF handles things. Given that Lowe’s success/failure will be a direct reflection on the ability of LF, you would think he would put forth some effort to solve the problem/s instead of hitting the links. It appears his incompetance knows no bounds.

  7. BJD95 03/18/2008 at 9:03 AM #

    Somebody needs to be able to run a practice. And enforce offseason conditioning. From what I’ve heard, only Pete Strickland seems to make an effort at it – and he’s the low man on the totem pole.

    I understand that Larry Harris is the recruiting guy, and has never actually “coached” very much. That’s fine. But the head man and the “top” assistant need to pull some weight in this area. If Lowe is primarily going to be a recruiter/salesman, then he needs an absolute bulldog as his top assistant. Not a guy who goes around trying to find “diamond in the rough” recruits.

  8. Cardiac95 03/18/2008 at 9:08 AM #

    [i]How about a referesher for those of us with failing memories?[/i]

    IIRC…think girlfriends…

  9. Mr O 03/18/2008 at 9:09 AM #

    BJD95: So it sounds like you are suggesting that Monte needs to be replaced? Where is Sidney going to get that type of coach considering most of his contacts are at the NBA level?

  10. Rick 03/18/2008 at 9:11 AM #

    “BJD95: So it sounds like you are suggesting that Monte needs to be replaced? Where is Sidney going to get that type of coach considering most of his contacts are at the NBA level?”

    [snicker] maybe he should ask someone who “knows basketball” for help [snicker]

  11. packbackr04 03/18/2008 at 9:12 AM #

    i cant believe people are actually thinking we would in any way be better without the best player (by FAR) on this years team. that logic is extremeley flawed. Should Hickson have a last minute change of mind and decide to stay (which he wont), we should all be very thankful. he was the only acc caliber player on our team this yr and i for one would love to have him back over any of the other players on the team. you cant fault hickson that everytime he got the ball inside all the other 4 players did was stand around and watch.

    speaking of… WHO IS GONNA BE TRANSFERRING

  12. Mr O 03/18/2008 at 9:13 AM #

    Girlfriend in a coma: I knew the answer to that question before I asked.

  13. StateFans 03/18/2008 at 9:13 AM #

    I don’t think that we nee to try to identify WHO needs to be replaced – other than Quinten Jackson, of course.

    Just that they need to find a way to build a staff that has significant more credibility with the players and who – as a group – possess a different set of strengths and skills than the current group.

  14. tvp1 03/18/2008 at 9:14 AM #

    “Also, was there any type of chemistry problem because of a problem we experienced way back early in Herb’s tenure that caused a player to essentially be forced to leave the program?

    SFN: Ding. Ding. Ding. You obviously already know what you are talking about you sly devil!”

    Oh man. You’ve got to be ******* kidding me. We are cursed.

  15. choppack1 03/18/2008 at 9:17 AM #

    (Bolded by SFN due to quality and insight!)

    Some thoughts here:

    *Interesting comments on getting to practice early and being prepared. From what I’ve seen and heard, it doesn’t suprise me.

    *Watch out about the rift. Depending on how things go, even though one person is gone, these things can fester since evidently sides were chosen and one of
    the remaining parties will still be here.

    *Fowler nor Oblinger will provide the necessary leadership. IMHO, these guys are successful bureaucrats who made it to the top by backslapping and what remains of a good ol boy network.

    I firmly believe that Fowler was responsible w/ things w/ Sendek getting so bad. Before the 2001-2002 season, Sendek actually sent an apology letter to the fans. By 2004, he was convinced that what he was doing was enough…Where did he get this idea? I’ll give you one guess. He got it from the same guy who chastised fans for expecting more than they were getting. He got it from the same guy who called into ESPN on a national telecast and said Amato wasn’t on the hot seat.

    It’s obvious that Fowler isn’t a leader for the 21st Century. He moves bricks around pretty well and keeps his direct reports (below and somehow above him) happy. These are good skills to have. However, when it comes to customer service skills and leadership, he’s too bad to keep around.

  16. BJD95 03/18/2008 at 9:22 AM #

    I don’t know how many contacts in college basketball Larry Brown still has. But he and Sid are pretty close. I hope to God he’s talking to him.

    I never understood the logic behind hiring Towe in the first place. After watching the staff operate for the first two years, not sure he brings much to the table or fills the “bulldog” role that Lowe apparently must have in order to succeed. It doesn’t seem to be his experience or his general makeup. It’s not that I have anything against Towe, I just don’t see the fit on this staff.

    I don’t see getting rid of Larry Harris – his recruiting contacts are pretty valuable. If you assume we need to add a bulldog to the staff, then Towe or Strickland needs to go. If Towe stays, his status probably needs to take a hit so that the players know that the bulldog has real authority. Not sure that would work, either.

    I don’t really know much about Strickland. But he can probably be an adequate “lieutenant” to the bulldog, which is what the #3 assistant probably needs to be.

  17. packbackr04 03/18/2008 at 9:23 AM #

    ^^ “So in terms of the “two groups of players”, is it essentially Herb’s guys vs. Sidney’s guys?

    SFN: Not necessarily. The two groups of players were one set of friends vs another set of friends. A major catalyst in the rift will not be with the program next year.”

    SO who are these players? im guessing the one who will not be with the program next yr is Gavin. what is the original reason for there being 2 sides and those said sides versus the other.

    who else will not be with the program next yr?

  18. PackWolf82 03/18/2008 at 9:28 AM #

    Can we go to a preseason/off season team bonding trip/tourney? b/c I’m pretty sure that Clemson bonded in Puerto Rico this past year. Was that the paradise jam?

  19. Rochester 03/18/2008 at 9:31 AM #

    I never understood the logic behind hiring Towe in the first place.

    There should have been a clause that he would bring Bo McCaleb with him from UNO.

    How much of the current makeup of this staff was dictated by Sid not being ready to take over when he was hired? First he had to graduate college, then he had to pass his recruiting test. Wasn’t Towe basically in charge until all that happened?

  20. Mr O 03/18/2008 at 9:40 AM #

    Well…after this discussion I can certainly see that there is very little chance that JJ Hickson is coming back. He has too much to risk and there are too many question marks in our program.

    I just recently heard about the “chemistry problem” and it all makes sense now. However according to some comments here it sounds like we have bigger problems. If it doesn’t work out for Sid, then what good does it do to replace him next year and allow the same weak athletic director to handle the hiring process? The heat will be on Sidney next year whether that is fair or not to him. So essentially the wheels should already be in motion to prepare (i.e. replace Lee Fowler) if a change needs to be made in the basketball program in the next 1-3 seasons.

    With Fowler’s extension last year thru 2013(were we really concerned that someone was going to hire him away?) and knowing how NC State handles these situations in the past, then I would say there is very little chance anyone in control of things at NC State(big donors/Chancellor/BOT/???) are doing anything to be prepared for this worst case scenario.

  21. kyjelly 03/18/2008 at 9:43 AM #

    So let me guess Sid needs an AD to tell him how to coach and run a basketball program. I find this humorous as stated above about coach k or rw needing this same type of help? This is absurd and another reason why a coach who needs this help to show him the direction in which to run his team ,should be on his way out the door.

  22. packbackr04 03/18/2008 at 9:49 AM #

    will someone please tell me who is transferring? i want to know who we lose next yr. also, if someone could do one of those things showing what our roster will look like next yr w/o Grant and JJ (and whoever transfers) and also a projection for 09. so we can get a feel.

  23. blackdom 03/18/2008 at 9:50 AM #

    There are plenty of teams in all sports that don’t hang out or get along with each other but when they are on the court,field they play together and are sucessfull ,it just smacks as another lame ass excuse to keep Sid around ,too bad the guy from karate kid passed away we could hire him and he could be sids mentor.

  24. Redblogger 03/18/2008 at 10:02 AM #

    Been a fan for more than 35 years, but I can’t remember what I had for lunch yesterday, let alone what happened w/Herb and his team ten years ago. Please enlighten me.

    ^^^
    “Also, was there any type of chemistry problem because of a problem we experienced way back early in Herb’s tenure that caused a player to essentially be forced to leave the program?

    SFN: Ding. Ding. Ding. You obviously already know what you are talking about you sly devil!”

    Oh man. You’ve got to be ******* kidding me. We are cursed.

  25. Sweet jumper 03/18/2008 at 10:05 AM #

    This all sounds like Peyton Place. My gut tells me that our senior leader, GG, is in the middle of this mess. If so, good riddance. Hopefully the factions left behind can be brought together. I find it hard to believe that this could not be nipped when it surfaced and the season salvaged. I agree that we need a bulldog/general as head coach or as top assistant and also as AD. I think we all know how Bobby Knight would have handled this–get rid of the cancer and the most significant metastatic lesions ASAP and take control of this team–and I think a ton of other staffs would have also done the same thing.

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