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Brandon Costner, CJ Williams Finding Success in LA

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10 years ago

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The Los Angeles Lakers are terrible. Starting the season with a lineup that was already wrecked by injury, the team struggled and progressively got worse.

But the Lakers aren’t the only team in L.A. that started off slowly. The L.A. D-Fenders, the Lakers’ D-League affiliate team, started this season 5-7, only a year after making it to the NBADL championship.

Brandon Costner and C.J. Williams play for the D-Fenders, and both say that the team’s slow start can be attributed to unfamiliarity with their offensive system.

“We run the Lakers’ system, which runs five guys out [on the perimeter] and uses a lot of ball screens,” Williams said. “But it was just a learning experience for a lot of us, getting accustomed to this league and learning to play to the system.”

The hard part, Costner said, was finding cohesiveness as a team. As the season went on, the D-Fenders lost multiple players to signings by either the NBA or foreign leagues.

But, fortunately, the team battled through. The D-Fenders are currently one game back in the Pacific Division, going 15-8 since the start of 2014. And according to Costner, it was because his team became well-focused.

“I think the season has gone well,” Costner said. “With all the guys leaving, to be on such short notice when it comes to getting guys in [the rotation] and acclimated to the system, we have come together to play well as a team.”

Costner said that the changes in the locker room created a next man up mentality that allowed guys, including the two former Wolfpack members, to flourish.

For example, Williams started the season on the bench, averaging roughly 20 minutes a game. But around Jan. 18, he saw his minutes rise. After ten straight 30- and 40-minute games with double-digit scoring in eight of them, Williams became a key component in the team’s rise in the rankings.

“At the beginning of the season, I had to find my comfort level,” Williams said. “I wasn’t getting into the game often. But once coach gave me the opportunity to get into the starting lineup and get 30 and 40 minutes a game, I have been able to take advantage of it.”

Costner found his comfort level as well. Though he is scoring a career-low 13 points a game, he has become very effective of late, averaging 16.4 points in the month of February.

Costner says this is a product of his improving health. Last season, Costner broke his shinbone. After mission all of 2012-13, Costner said that the process has been a slow and painful one.

“Initially, I had to adapt to the flow of things,” Costner said. “It is hard to just jump right in after missing a whole year.

“But as my leg has gotten stronger, I have gotten more confident, and I feel like I am pretty much back to normal.”

Currently, neither Williams nor Costner has heard anything from NBA teams about a call up. And with March 1 being the deadline for players to sign contracts and remain postseason eligible, it appears that both guys will finish the season as D-Fenders.

Costner and Williams said that all they are focused on right now is helping the team reach the playoffs and winning an NBADL championship. They can deal with business portions of basketball after the season is over.

“One thing that all my coaches have told me to control what I control,” Williams said. “And all I can do right now is continue to play hard and well here.”

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Pack in the Pros

Former NC State All-American SS Trea Turner Named NL Player of the Week

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10 hours ago

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April 24, 2024

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Former NC State All-American Shortstop Trea Turner was named the National League Player of the Week last week.

  • The 30-year-old hit .462 (12-for-26) with a home run, four RBI, five doubles, a walk, 10 runs scored, a stolen base and a .481 on-base percentage in six games last week.
  • The Florida native led the Majors in runs scored; tied for the NL lead in doubles and extra-base hits (6); ranked third in slugging (.769), OPS (1.250) and hits (12); and ranked fourth in total bases (20).
  • The two-time All-Star recorded four straight multi-hit games from Tuesday through Saturday, putting together three-hit games on Wednesday against Colorado and Thursday against Chicago (AL). It was the third time in his Phillies’ tenure and eighth time in his career that he had at least four-straight multi-hit games.
  • The 2019 World Series Champion has hits in 10 straight games since April 11th, batting .429 (18-for-42) with two homers, six RBI, six doubles, two walks, 12 runs scored, a stolen base and a 1.169 OPS during the stretch. He has reached in each of his last 13 games since April 8th, batting .434/.483/.660 over the stretch.
  • The North Carolina State product stole home on Sunday against the White Sox, marking his 40th consecutive stolen base since September 6, 2022 when he was a member of the Dodgers. His current streak surpassed Jimmy Rollins for the fourth-longest all-time and is now tied with Hall of Famer Tim Raines for the third-longest streak in Major League history. Next on the list is Ichiro Suzuki, who swiped 45 straight bases from April 29, 2006 through May 16, 2007, and Vince Coleman, who stole a Major League record 50 straight bases from September 18, 1988 through July 26, 1989. (MLB)

Turner was a 2-time All-American at NC State. In 2012, Turner was named 3rd Team All-American by NCBWA, and in 2013 he was named 2nd Team by Collegiate Baseball, and 3rd Team by NCBWA and Baseball America.

Turner’s 113 career stolen bases at NC State are the most in school history.

Turner was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 1st Round with the 13th overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft.

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NC State’s Payton Wilson & Dylan McMahon’s 2024 Draft Projections

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14 hours ago

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April 24, 2024

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The 2024 NFL Draft is 1 day away. Where does NC State Linebacker Payton Wilson and Center Dylan McMahon project to be drafted?

PFF

Payton Wilson – 1st Round – 29th Overall Pick – Indianapolis Colts

It’s a cliché to go “best athlete available” for the Colts, but Payton Wilson certainly ticked that box at the NFL scouting combine. Wilson was exceptional in his final season at NC State, earning grades above 75.0 in all three facets of defense, led by his 90.0 coverage grade with three interceptions and four forced incompletions.

Dylan McMahon – 6th Round – 214th Overall Pick – Cincinnati Bengals

Sporting News

Payton Wilson – 2nd Round – 38th Overall Pick – Tennessee Titans

Dylan McMahon – 5th Round – 175th Overall Pick – New Orleans Saints

Walter Football

Payton Wilson – 2nd Round – 42nd Overall Pick – Houston Texans

CBS Sports

Payton Wilson – 2nd Round – 43rd Overall Pick – Atlanta Falcons

Dylan McMahon – 6th Round – 182nd Overall Pick – Tennessee Titans

The Athletic 

Payton Wilson – 2nd Round – 56th Overall Pick – Dallas Cowboys

Dylan McMahon – 7th Round – 232nd Overall Pick – Minnesota Vikings

Fantasy Pros

Payton Wilson – 3rd Round – 66th Overall Pick – Arizona Cardinals

Dylan McMahon – 7th Round – 55th Overall Pick – Green Bay Packers

NFL.com

Payton Wilson – 3rd Round – 80th Overall Pick – Cincinnati Bengals

Dylan McMahon – 4th Round – 112th Overall Pick – Carolina Panthers

ESPN

Payton Wilson – 3rd Round – 81st Overall Pick – Seattle Seahawks

Wilson has an early-round grade based strictly on his game tape, but durability concerns could drop him to this range — or even later. He had 130 tackles, six sacks and three interceptions last season.

Dylan McMahon – 7th Round – 247th Overall Pick – Houston Texans

Pro Football Network

Payton Wilson – 3rd Round – 83rd Overall Pick – Los Angeles Rams

Dylan McMahon – 6th Round – 205th Overall Pick – Detroit Lions

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Former NC State G Terquavion Smith Earns a Spot on the 2023-23 NBA G-League All-Rookie Team

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6 days ago

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April 19, 2024

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Former NC State Guard Terquavion Smith earned a spot on the 2023-24 NBA G-League All-Rookie Team.

Smith averaged 22.3 points, 3.4 assists and 3 rebounds per game for the Delaware Blue Coats. What’s crazy, is that he only started in 3 of the 36 games he played in. With that being said, he averaged 30.7 minutes per game. Smith shot 35.6% from three.

As a 2-way player, Smith also played 16 games for the Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 3.3 points in 5.3 minutes per game. He shot 37.1% from three.

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NC State LB Payton Wilson Visited with the Steelers Yesterday

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1 week ago

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April 17, 2024

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Former NC State Linebacker Payton Wilson had a Top-30 visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers yesterday. Wilson is the first Linebacker the Steelers have brought in.

Wilson has already had Top-30 visits with the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers.

PFF ranks Wilson as the #1 Linebacker in the 2024 Draft, and #26 on their Big Board.

1. LB PAYTON WILSON, NC STATE

PFF BIG BOARD RANK: 26

Wilson has the length, movement ability, IQ and tape of a first-round linebacker. What will likely keep him from being drafted on Day 1 is his injury history and age. If healthy, he can be a starting inside linebacker in any defense. (PFF)

Will someone take Wilson in the 1st round? Will he be a 2nd round pick? If he slips past that, that’s just stupid.

 

 

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