What did an ACC Title & Final Four mean to NC State Legend TJ Warren? I caught up with the man who won the ACC Player of the Year Award in 2014 to get his take.
What was it like for you watching NC State go from the #10 seed in the ACC Tournament, to winning the Championship, to going to the Final Four?
I’m a second generation Wolfpack basketball player. Wolf blood runs through my veins, so to be able to witness a ride like that was truly amazing.
What did this run say about Kevin Keatts and these players? In what ways did you see them adapt, change or persevere?
I think that is speaks to the heart that the players have. As a 10th seed in the ACC tournament, it’s easy to pack it in and look towards the offseason, but they did the opposite. They bonded together over adversity and that’s what made them so endearing. Hard work in the face of adversity, that’s something that Wolfpack fans can relate to.
As one of the best players to ever wear the Red & White, what did this run mean to you personally?
As I mentioned earlier, NCSU hoops has been in my family for a long time, so it meant a whole lot personally. This run definitely took me back to some of the fond memories I have of putting on the Red & White and playing in front of a packed house at the PNC.
What was the most memorable moment for you?
I think Mike’s shot to tie the game at the end of regulation. It just felt like destiny at that point. Anytime you get to beat UNC and Duke days apart is special too.
How do you think this run can change things for the NC State Basketball program going forward?
I think that it puts us back on the national radar where we belong. After a magical run like that, I think it makes players want to be a part of that. A run like that reinvigorates a program definitely.
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Warren is 1 of only 6 NC State players to ever be named the ACC Player of the Year. In his Sophomore season, Warren was named a 2nd Team All-American by Sporting News and the AP. He averaged 24.9 points per game, which is the 5th best mark in a single season in NC State history. Warren scored 871 points that year, which is the most points ever scored in a single season by a Wolfpack player.
TJ was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 14th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
We’re deep this year – how come we never press? We’ve got more shooters than ever – how come we never go small? I”m behind this team and Gott through the end of the season, but the kids need to get more dialed in and we need to start doing some things to make our opponents uncomfortable.
Well said..
Gott’s certainly frustrated, but they don’t seem to be doing anything different. It’s just more of the same and a hope that the kids start doing it better. If we just keep putting Abu in the high post he’ll become a better passer. If we just keep playing straight man they’ll start defending better. Square pegs and a round hole.
If that was improvement, maybe we should schedule some high schools around Raleigh. We might show much greater improvement then. Just try something different, I would start with defense or is that a bad word for Gott.
Are you trying to make us look even worse!!! lol
Last night didn’t look like much improvement to me. Continued lackadaisical passing, especially in the second half, leading to crushing turnovers. The team is playing with very little focus, and there doesn’t seem to be much creativity in solving the problems. Road wins are always hard to come by, but this BC team is not very good and we should not have lost.
Coaching…… Point Blank Period.. Move Butch Pierre to the head coach he has experience. Im sure he cant do any worse that Mark