C.J. Leslie is staying home for college.
The 6-foot-8 forward from Raleigh (N.C.) Word of God Academy committed Wednesday to N.C. State, picking the Wolfpack over Kentucky and UConn.
“I’m going to N.C. State,” Leslie, the No. 4 power forward in the Class of 2010, told NewsObserver.com. “It is a great school and we can be good there. And obviously, Coach [Sidney] Lowe is a great coach.”
Leslie visited UConn this past weekend and also considered Kentucky, where close friend Brandon Knight has committed.
“It was really up for grabs,” he told NewsObserver.com. “It was really close with the other two schools.”
Lisa Leslie, C.J.’s mother, previously aid her son has great respect for Lowe.
“He’s looking at N.C. State because he’s known Sidney Lowe for four or five years,” Lisa said previously. “He has a good relationship with him. I would say they are pretty high on the list.”
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tsmooth / April 28, 2010
IMO, win-win for both parties. NC State gets a very good player, and CJ gets to be the face of a team.
It hurts UK more than many assume because all signs point to TJones signing with UW Friday. Look for UK to get more involved with Luke Cothron and Marcus Thornton. My guess is UK lands Thornton. Cothron is leaning to Bama
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BlueCat32 / April 28, 2010
Not surprised by Leslie going to NC St. Been hearing he was leaning that way for quite sometime….GL to him..
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UofA BJ / April 28, 2010
Leslie and Harrow will be a very nice duo in the ACC.
Kentucky will be in trouble next year in the post(especially if Kanter has to sit some games out).
Kentucky fans whats the latest with patterson?Has he declared yet.
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BlueCat32 / April 28, 2010
Patterson declared last Friday….
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tsmooth / April 28, 2010
Supposedly, Kanter has been cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse. Personally, I don’t give a shit what they say because they cleared Derrick Rose twice, and still took Memphis’ season away
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kufandaniel / April 28, 2010
Sucks for UK fans because I just talked to shay wildeboor who is rivals main writer for KU and he told me that he thinks and from what he’s heard that Terrence Jones is 50/50 between Kansas and Washington and now Leslie goes to NC State.
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tsmooth / April 28, 2010
fits in with what I’ve heard, except that he’s leaning a bit more to UW. Anything can happen between now and Friday though. You never know when Lebron may call you…..LOL
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UAWildcat / April 28, 2010
I guess even the almighty Calipari can miss out on a recruit.
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blasphemy / April 28, 2010
Once again, UofA BJ, we are not “hurting” we have two big men with Kanter and Harrellson. We will be fine in the post. We do need ONE athletic 6’8-6’9 wing player who can double as a post player when he really feels like it. Kinda like a power forward. Your thoughts? Because it’s not the POST that we are lacking in. BTW, weren’t you the one saying CJ was a lock to UK when I told you otherwise? Your thoughts on that as well. I hate being right. I now predict UK will either get Terrence Jones or Marcus Thorton out of Georgia now but not both. Both who are great SF/PF combos.
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tsmooth / April 28, 2010
Kanter is good, but Harrellson isn’t too reliable in the post. Another big would have helped that unit out a lot, obviously lol. UK definitely needs to add a hybrid 3/4 who can put the ball on the deck and make his way to the basket because that is a fundamental part of the DDMO.
I agree with you that UK gets on of Thornton/Jones, and as of now, it looks like Jones is heading to UW so Thornton might be UK’s to lose. Thornton is a HUGE step down from CJ and TJones though.
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RockChalkWoody / April 28, 2010
I’d love to get T. Jones but all signs point to UW.
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MemphisMo23 / April 28, 2010
Ok……… so maybe I was wrong.
But if you think Kanter/Kenter and and this Harrellson guy (which I dont think anybody outside of Kentucky even knows who he is) is anything more than a sub par front court you got to be smoking some of the “stickiest of the icky”. Thorton now is a must to give UK some decent depth if not another starter. T. Jones would be the major for UK
Its really looking like T. Jones is heading to UW though, somebody better get the Akron Hammer on the phone a.s.a.p.
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jhawk4 / April 28, 2010
Blashphemy- If UK doesnt get Jones, UK will be in some trouble in the post. Having Kanter and Harrelson as your only big men are not enough to survive through foul trouble, injuries etc… They need to get jones
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tsmooth / April 28, 2010
Ahhh, a Sportsnation reference. LOL. The King is better!! Btw, you had it right the first time. It’s Kanter.
TJ isn’t a must-get for UK, but they would be greatly improved with his skillset. Have him, Stacey Poole, Doron Lamb, and possibly Kanter return for a hellish 2011 class, and that’s a scary, scary team.
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UofA BJ / April 28, 2010
Harrelson? how many minutes did he get last year and what class is he?
Sounds like a lame duck Gillespie holdover. Correct me if im wrong.
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BostonCat / April 28, 2010
not all signs.
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blasphemy / April 28, 2010
He’s not great, but In Cal’s system, I argue that he doesn’t have to be “SUPER” as a post. This year was a gross overstatement on how much Cal uses post players. I would argue he had one too many (two too many if you count harrelson). No doubt Harrelson isn’t great but he will suffice. I don’t wont 3 Centers again this year, one great and one so so will suffice for me.
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blasphemy / April 28, 2010
I think I’m starting to like you Ts, you actually are a decent Memphis fan that is not (overtly) mad at Cal. I wish more fans were like you.
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tsmooth / April 28, 2010
LOL. Same to you, man.
Btw, I am still kinda mad at Cal, but in the end, his leaving is a win-win for both teams. No need to continue to bash him. He did a lot of good for Memphis, and Memphis did a lot of good for him.
“Decent”. lol. Take that as a compliment.
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blasphemy / April 28, 2010
Also, jhawk4. Where you been??? I’ve been missing you. We’ve been having all sorts of fights and arguments on this blog and I just haven’t seen you. It’s “that” time of year again to break out the ole’ keyboard and get to blogging. We need more decent Kansas fans. fearthephog just isn’t cutting it for me.
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jhawk4 / April 29, 2010
I hear ya Blashphemy…
i have been following, just havent seen too much that i felt was comment worthy yet. Once the dust settles with Jones and we can start looking ahead to next year i will comment more.
you and fearthephogs little squabble on the other article was something though.
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MilesCat / April 29, 2010
We are definitely in trouble for next season if we don’t get Jones. IMO, our team needs both Thornton and Jones. The Cats are really thin in the frontcourt and Thornton and Jones are the only two I have heard on the recruiting radar. I had heard at one time Cothron and Chris Hill were being recruited, but heard they were having issues getting eligible. We have 9 players as of today on our team, that is including a local kid that got a preferred walk-on spot on Wednesday.
Dodson on the team…kicked off?
Bledsoe draft position falling…come back?
Orton for the love of God…come back?
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ChicagoUK / April 29, 2010
I have to commend Terrence Jones and his family for the secrecy on his recruitment. No one seems to know for sure.. I just read that UK people are confident; then we have this rivals writer saying it’s KU or UW; some say Oregon is in play now.. remarkable.
The one common thread in every rumor, opinion or blog posting is UW. So my brain says UW and my heart says UK.
I would be surprised if KU trumped UK though (it is possible, I am not bagging KU – just thinking logically). He would get more PT at UK, equal or more exposure, distance from home does not really differenciate the two schools). Perhaps Bill Self and staff made a huge impression.
For UK’s perspective, I think losing Tobias Harris to UT in the Fall was a big loss. I am glad to see Cal is working hard on the 2011 class now; don’t need any more hail-marys..
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MemphisMo23 / April 29, 2010
I agree that you do not need a dominating stable of post players on a Calipari coached team because god knows that was never the case in his most successful years at the UofM. Kanter looks like he could be special for you all but Harrellson will be a senior who averaged 1.3 points per game last season (yes I know Cousins, Orton and Patterson where there) and 3.6 ppg in his sophmore year so what do you expect to really get from this guy for 2010-11?
The real problem there is depth because the front court does consist of 2 positions and your only 2 at the time is Kanter and Harrellson so fatigue, injury, foul trouble or the always reliable NCAA clearing house could really hurt this team as it stands now.
With that being said Marcus Thorton will most likely sign with UK and Luke Cothron is still available so improvements can still be made but they are necessary because currently things are not ok in Lexington when it comes to “Bigs” (I didnt mention T. Jones because all sources are reporting that he is a UW lock at this point “but you never know right?”)
As far as us Memphis fans go and our feelings towards Cal, of course some of us were hard on him and you all programs but you will see less of that going forward. Most of the hostility was from having guys that were suppose to be playing for us being successful elsewhere. Now that season is over and those guys are not going to be there anymore you will not hear much from us in regards to UK. I for one was not mad about Cal (that being because his coaching skills are “lets say” not the strongest) leaving but in the manner he did it and how he left us for dead (sure you all have heard that before).
just my two cents…. thats all
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ChicagoUK / April 29, 2010
An article on Jones which sums up my thoughts on his recruitment:
http://highschoolsports.oregonlive.com/news/article/-8804694748032357118/terrence-jones-recruiting-nobody-knows-maybe-not-even-jones-what-he-will-decide/
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stony / April 29, 2010
Anybody thinking that UK will be fine in the post if they do not sign another big for the class is nuts. Harrellson should not be a starter. He was barely used off the bench last season. If they don’t get Jones, and who knows what will happen with him, then they badly need Thornton and while he is not as gifted as Jones I still think he could be a very good player. If they don’t get either then Calipari should just put Darius Miller in as the PF and go small with Harrellson still coming off the bench.
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bball purist / April 29, 2010
NC State was locked in a long time. CJ will find out quickly that Sid isn’t a good bench coach. It will effect his stock when he tries to go pro. Think about it, how many Valvano guys (coaches, players) ever moved on to success in coaching? They either get fired, get in shoving matches, or wear ugly red jackets!
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blasphemy / April 29, 2010
Great post MemphisMo, I agree with everything you said.
jhawk, just to be clear, I am not knocking on KU per say with my battle with fearthephog25. I am simply retorting to his comments more than anything. But, you know how I am at this point right? lol I just get tired of the dogging every now and then…..
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jhawk4 / April 29, 2010
yes i know, even though the northern iowa comments still sting considerably. but fearthephog was asking for it
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tim4duke / April 29, 2010
When Coach Cal wins his next NCAA title( by the way it will be his first, or gets to the final 4 , again his first that was not expunged,) let me know how great he is.
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bball purist / April 29, 2010
I couldn’t give a rat’s arse about Cal or Duke – u’ve been quiet for 9 years, go back in your dukehole…
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blasphemy / April 29, 2010
Ya, I didn’t like using that one. UK lost to a bad South C. team and almost lost to several other no-name teams so I know how it feels, trust me. But, ya, he was asking for it. Hopefully now I can focus my attention to UofA BJ. Possibly big ben if he decides to come around again.
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blasphemy / April 29, 2010
Love the dukehole comment. Said with such a poetic mastery!
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blasphemy / April 29, 2010
Who in the world said I, or any other UK fan, thought he should be a starter? He’s a good enough for a fill in guy, aka for Kanter, in Cal’s system was my whole argument. But Darius at the PF spot is an idea I like and was thinking the same myself. Since in Cal’s system SF/PF are just about the same thing.
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blasphemy / April 29, 2010
I assume by the name you live in Chicago, but did you go to the Spring game at commonwealth?
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tim4duke / April 29, 2010
And bball which team do you support? When was the last time the won something? We have to belt, what more needs to be said.
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bball purist / April 29, 2010
If I answer UNC, KU, UK, UCLA, you could not say squat. And if I answer “other,” you still cannot say squat ’cause you’re Duke. Paying $53,390 per year to go to school doesn’t make you elite when your school trails UNC, UMD, and UVA in total Nattys.
One day in the next 5-10 years, the Krybaby will retire and you’ll have Wojo or Collins coaching, banging the floor as they go 22-10 and get bounced from the tourney every year before the sweet 16.
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