CJ Leslie to enter NBA Draft

BREAKING: CJ Leslie announces that he will enter forego his senior season at NC State to enter the NBA Draft.

The following was the current configuration of NC State’s basketball roster prior to Leslie’s announcement today.

Senior Class
(1) Jordan Vandenberg (C) (Redshirt)
(2) CJ Leslie (PF)

Junior Class
(3) Ralston Turner (Wing) – transfer from LSU sits out 2012-2103

Sophomore Class
(4) Tyler Lewis (PG)
(5) Rodney Purvis (PG/SG)
(6) TJ Warren (F)

Freshman Class – 2013 Commits
(7) Anthony Barber (PG)
(8) Kyle Washington (4F/5C)
(9) BeeJay Anya – (4F/5C)
(10) Departure of Scott Wood
(11) Departure of Richard Howell
(12) Departure of Lorenzo Brown
(13) Open scholarship

2014 Commits
(1) Caleb Martin (wing) (scheduled departure of Vandenberg)
(2) Cody Martin (wing) (scheduled departure of Leslie)

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29 Responses to CJ Leslie to enter NBA Draft

  1. jcererer 04/01/2013 at 9:42 AM #

    He’s definitely out of here. No way Leslie’s coming back.

  2. DRW 04/01/2013 at 10:07 AM #

    We really need to recruit a few more bodies for the incoming class.

  3. vtpackfan 04/01/2013 at 10:16 AM #

    I know it’s normal for Kentucky kids to hold press conferences to announce their bolting-but for us?

    Being a Pack fan is like being a fan of Pro Sports in Cleveland. Guys leave for Free Agency and then they hold a presser to do a Tombstone- “We’ll…bye”.

  4. vtpackfan 04/01/2013 at 10:20 AM #

    And that scholarship list is pretty amazing. Dr. Yow wants a great recruiting HC in every sport available. Our Basketball is right up there with the nations best and we have an added wrinkle-we could go on probation, be stripped of three scholarships, and never even miss a best.

  5. vtpackfan 04/01/2013 at 10:30 AM #

    Holding out for the .099% chance he goes the Julius Hodge route.

  6. gopack10 04/01/2013 at 10:33 AM #

    I hope we can fill one of those scholly voids with Desmond Lee and then bring in another big man.

  7. WuPack13 04/01/2013 at 10:36 AM #

    He Gone

  8. vtpackfan 04/01/2013 at 10:38 AM #

    Funk it. If we don’t make some kind of maneuver for Josh Davis then “rebuild” season is fully started in earnest. We’ll be behind the likes of BC but more favorable when VT and WF are the opponents.

  9. WolfTrack 04/01/2013 at 10:39 AM #

    aaaaaand he’s gone

  10. Wulfpack 04/01/2013 at 10:42 AM #

    No surprises here. The bigger questions are Warren and Purvis. Must keep them for any hope of a good season.

  11. vtpackfan 04/01/2013 at 10:42 AM #

    Gott has never sounded more destroyed in a presser. He knew this was coming but just had to come to face the reality.

  12. TLeo 04/01/2013 at 10:49 AM #

    Part of me doesn’t think he is ready for NBA ball but the other part me thinks he may do well. At least he wont be assaulted and mugged every time he gets the ball the way he was this year with the awful officiating. Good luck to him.

  13. Pacobee 04/01/2013 at 10:50 AM #

    We’re very thin with these departures…if Purvis or Warren bolt, it’s going to be a long year without a lot of JUCO talent coming in. Someone please notify the lunatic fringe so we can avoid a gozillion calls to sports radio calling for Gott’s ouster. That would be be crazy talk…but they are the LF for a reason.

    Happy Monday!

  14. nav 04/01/2013 at 10:50 AM #

    These pressers are a good recruiting tool. It shows to kids that we are openly sending kids to the pros. IMHO, it doesn’t show well when “one-and-done” kid come in a program and stay multi yrs. Programs like UK can show kids multi examples of players moving on to the NBA after one yr.

  15. PoppaJohn 04/01/2013 at 10:52 AM #

    ^^^^ I didn’t hear Gott that way at all. I thought he had the right touch of ‘sad to see him go’ and ‘excited for his future.’ Pretty much what you want your coach to say.

    We Gott to get some bigs!! Need two, I think. Someone said the Lee visit went well on another blog.

  16. wilmwolf80 04/01/2013 at 10:53 AM #

    Thank you to CJ for your hard work and contributions to the program. More importantly, thank you for always representing the university with class. At the end of the day, that is the most important thing.

  17. Hungwolf 04/01/2013 at 10:54 AM #

    i think Gott wants what is best for Leslie and maybe why he didn’t look overly happy. Second round projection at best by most experts, some scouts are negative on him is the word. With some focus, better judgement, and another year. Leslie could easily have made himself a lottery pick next year. Instead he most likely get drafted, have a non guaranteed contract, and end up in Europe or in the D league within a year. I hope he proves me wrong though and does great in NBA. he always handles himself well here and represented NCSU well. God Speed to him and best wishes!

  18. packof81 04/01/2013 at 11:29 AM #

    Whatever … time to move on. Here’s hoping Gott can recruit some top talent.

  19. tjfoose1 04/01/2013 at 11:32 AM #

    Rebuilding? Don’t be so sure. This year’s team didn’t meet expectations. Don’t assume next year’s will not exceed them.

    But either way, it is a nice change when the expectations of a “down” year exceeds all but the best of years in the past 20 while coming with a bright outlook for the future.

    Chop wood baby.

  20. Dogbreath 04/01/2013 at 11:59 AM #

    If I was on the fence and saw what happened last night to the Louisville kid, I’d schedule my PC first thing in the AM as well.

  21. packalum44 04/01/2013 at 12:06 PM #

    Will Kentucky set a record for lottery picks next year?

    Makes sense for CJ to leave. He’ll develop his game in the D-League and get paid some decent money.

  22. Thinkpack17 04/01/2013 at 12:07 PM #

    CJ will go at the end of the 1st round to the Spurs and be a steal. Pop will get every ounce of potential out of him and he will wow fans when Pop gives his starters a night off.

  23. partialqualifier 04/01/2013 at 12:33 PM #

    Best Wishes to CJ. People seemed to always be down on him, but I thought he always handled himself well off the court. He seems like a good guy that needs to mature a bit more. That’s what college is supposed to be about so one more year would have been nice for him on that level. However, I wish him the best and hope he continues to reoresent NC State well.

    And for those of you optimistic about a really good season next year, please let us know what you are drinking/taking so we can partake. There are some talented players on the roster, but we are looking at having to compete in the ACC (which will now include Pitt & Syracuse) with basically 8 scholarship and no one over 19 that has played really at all. I think a good year next year would be watching this team learn to play together and hard for 40 mins every game (which would be a dramatic improvement from this year), and hoping at the end of the day we can get to 8-10, 9-9, be on the bubble and enjoy the NIT. Anything more than that would be total icing on a cake and should not be expected.

  24. Mike 04/01/2013 at 12:59 PM #

    Wait, this is April 1 after all. I know this is a joke. CJ turning pro? Really? Never would have guessed that.

  25. Texpack 04/01/2013 at 1:05 PM #

    I hope Calvin makes it in the NBA. His problem is that he has the game of a 4 in the body of a 3. His outside shot is terribly inadequate to play SF in the NBA. If he develops that he can be a superstar. If he doesn’t, he’s going to spend a lot of time in the NBADL.

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