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TJ Warren Headed to the NBA…Or is he?

Published

10 years ago

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The “Good luck, TJ” tweets were out in full force today as Yahoo!’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Wolfpack sophomore had decided to declare for the NBA draft.

There were no questions asked about this report as this was a decision that most expected from one of the nation’s top scorers. But things are starting to get a little interesting over the past few hours. Local media has reached out to Warren to see if the reports are true and it seems as if he’s not willing to confirm them quite yet.

 

WRAL’s Mandy Mitchell tweeted that TJ Warren has told her that he’s still undecided. That tweet was then retweeted by TJ Warren himself. Warren also got in on the action with this…

 

We were told that Warren was at a team meeting today and he did not notify the coaches or any players of any decision. This leaves a tiny bit of hope in Wolfpack fan’s hearts that their star player might come back for one more season despite being ranked top 20 in the most recent mock drafts.

So what do we think?….

The Case For Him Leaving…
Well, I’ve been on record over and over saying that TJ Warren is as good as gone. I don’t have any inside info on this situation other than the fact that I know most around the program expect him to go. I just think that he’s proven what he can do. He just had the best scoring season in NC State history and led a team that was supposed to finish 10th, into the NCAA tournament. It’s going to be tough for him to top what he just did. I think someone in his circle leaked that he’s leaving and it was just too soon for Warren, who wants to talk to his coaches and team first. I think he’d love to stay, but the money’s on the table and it’s hard to pass up on being a millionaire at 20 years old. That’s why I think he’s gone (and honestly, I don’t don’t think you can blame him.)

The Case For Him Staying…
Warren saying he’s ‘undecided’ is a little confusing. If you read the last paragraph then you’d think that if he knew he was leaving then he might have mentioned it to his team and his coach when he had them together today at the team meeting. He didn’t as far as I’m told, which leads me to believe that maybe he really is undecided. Maybe he’s seen Julius Hodge make a career for himself as being the most loved player in NC State history simply by coming back when everyone thought for sure he’d be gone. Maybe Warren could get better. He does needs to improve his shot and improve his FT shooting if he wants to be a dominant scorer at the next level. He also might want to see what he can do here with a real supporting cast. He’s got another legit scorer in Trevor Lacey, a legitimate scoring threat on the blocks with Abu, and an entire roster (outside of Vandenberg) that is returning. In theory, Warren could return and make a run at an ACC championship, get a ton of exposure and still score at the clip he was scoring this year, in turn, improving his stock to lottery status (if it’s not there already). His family isn’t hurting for the money, so what’s another year? I think he knows that if he leaves he might always wonder “What if…” That’s why he could stay.

 

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NC State Basketball

Guard Mike O’Connell Announces He Will Play His Final Year of Eligibility at NC State

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5 hours ago

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May 1, 2024

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Guard Michael O’Connell announced today that he will be playing his final year of eligibility at NC State next season.

 

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A post shared by Michael O’Connell (@michaeloc_12)

Today was the final day graduate players could enter the Portal.

This past season, O’Connell averaged 5.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Wolfpack, starting 22 of the 41 games he played in.

O’Connell took over as NC State’s starting Point Guard on January 30th in a win against Miami.

He only scored in double figures in 9 of his 41 games this season, but 6 of those came in postseason play (5 in the ACC Tournament). O’Connell took things to another level in the ACC Tournament, playing aggressive on the offensive end, looking for his shot, and attacking the rim.

NC State played it’s best basketball of the season when O’Connell was running the show. He ranked 3rd in the ACC in Assist/Turnover Ratio (2.5).

Heading into next season, with a lineup filled with new faces, having the calming presence of a veteran leader like O’Connell is reassuring.

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NC State Basketball

ECU Transfer Forward Ezra Ausar to NC State is Trending Up

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17 hours ago

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May 1, 2024

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ECU Transfer Power Forward Ezra Ausar (6’9″/240) was on an Official Visit to NC State yesterday, and according to analysts at ON3 and 247Sports, things are trending in the right direction for the Wolfpack.

Jamie Shaw of ON3 submitted a prediction for Ausar to eventually commit to NC State yesterday morning.

Cory Smith of 247Sports submitted a crystal ball projection for Ausar to run with the Wolfpack this morning.

Ausar just wrapped up his Sophomore season in Greenville, averaging 11.4 points and 4.7 rebounds, shooting 51.4% from the field. As a Freshman, he was named to the AAC All-Freshman Team, averaging 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds.

Ausar is a consensus 4-Star prospect in the Transfer Portal, and ON3 ranks him as the #60 overall player in the Portal and the #10 Power Forward.

Originally from Atlanta, Ausar played his Senior Season of High School at Liberty Heights Athletic Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina. ON3 ranked Ausar as a 4-Star prospect coming out of high school, the #94 overall player nationally, and the #2 player in the state of North Carolina.

Ausar has visited Seton Hall, Georgia Tech, met over Zoom with Georgetown, and had an in-home visit with Utah. John Calipari and his staff at Arkansas have been in touch with Ausar, as well as Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Arizona State, West Virginia, Iowa State and St. John’s. (Link)

At this point, it’s good news that Ausar has no visits scheduled after the visit to NC State.

Ausar has 2 years of eligibility remaining, and NC State currently has 1 scholarship remaining.

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NC State Basketball

NC State Signee Zamareya Jones Showed Out in the McDonald’s & Jordan All-American Games

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18 hours ago

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May 1, 2024

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NC State 2024 signee Zamareya Jones has played in the McDonald’s All-American game and the Jordan Brand Classic over the past month.

In the McDonald’s game on April 2nd, Jones had 13 points, helping her East squad defeat the West.

 

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In the Jordan Brand Classic on April 21st, Jones had 15 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds. She also hit the game winner for Team Flight.

Jones is a 5-star prospect in the Wolfpack’s 2024 recruiting class, ranked 21st overall nationally by ESPN.

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NC State’s Kevin Keatts and DJ Burns Sounded the Siren at the Canes Game Tonight

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1 day ago

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April 30, 2024

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NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts and the beloved DJ Burns were both Siren Sounders for the Canes this evening, with Carolina defeating the Islanders 6-3, winning the Round 1 series 4-1.

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