I think it’s helpful to segregate the reasons for Gott’s transfers/early departures. Some of these reasons overlap, but I’d generally segregate the major reasons as follows:
1. Result of coaching transition (didn’t want to play for new coach): Harrow
2. Result of coaching transition (not talented enough for new coach): Raymond
3. Result of playing time (not getting as many minutes as desired and not willing/capable of earning them): Painter, Harris, Lewis
4. Result of bad attitude (by player and/or parents): De Thaey, Purvis
5. Result of going pro early (with some reasonable basis to do so): Brown, Leslie, Warren?
There could be some overlap here. I debated putting Harris in category #4, for example. Also, perhaps this categorization is unfair for Painter, since he had a family issue; I have always thought that at least part of his departure was tied to his expected view of his playing time, especially considering that many expected Amile Jefferson to end up at State.
I put zero responsibility on Gott for categories #1 and #2 above. And I also put zero responsibility on him for category #5; IMO it is clear that Gott helped Brown, Leslie, and Warren to achieve sufficient pro potential to make the leap (assuming here that Warren goes pro this year, obviously). In retrospect, it’s possible that Brown and/or Leslie would have been better off staying, but that’s not on Gott, and that also might have disrupted some of our recruiting (e.g., had Leslie stayed, we might not have gotten all 3 freshman bigs this past season).
And if you buy Painter’s reasons as being solely about family, I don’t think you can blame Gott for that either.
I would also segregate these players as follows in terms of impact on the team:
6. Departures that hurt the team: Painter, Lewis (maybe)
7. Departures that didn’t hurt the team: Harrow, Raymond, Harris, De Thaey, Purvis (can’t overlook the attitude)
I suspect some will argue that Purvis leaving hurt the team, since he was a highly regarded recruit who theoretically could/should have played a lot better than he showed in his freshman season if he stayed. Even ignoring his attitude problem and moving him into that category, that’s still only three transfers that hurt the team.
But now consider that Gott brought in transfers Johnson, Turner, Lacey, and Lee so far. IMO that group is at least as good as the group of Painter, Lewis, and Purvis, and it could prove to be better. Sure, Lewis and Purvis had strong credentials, but at this point it is no given either of them will live up to them.
Meanwhile, as others have pointed out, there is reason to be cautiously optimistic at this point that we will have a roster next season that goes 10 deep with legit ACC talent. This despite Gott losing 10 non-seniors to various departures in three seasons, plus losing at least 5 senior rotation players that I can think of off the top of my head.
I can’t remember the last State team that ran 10 deep with legitimate ACC talent. Can anyone else? Do we have to go back to Valvano’s years for that?
So… what’s the problem, exactly? I’m not seeing it.
