Junior forward Calvin Leslie and junior guard Lorenzo Brown have a decision to make: stay in school or forgo their last year for the National Basketball Association.
Leslie and Brown, in addition to the team as a whole, didn’t finish the season as planned — a second round loss in the NCAA tournament to Temple, tying for fourth in the ACC, losing in the ACC tournament semi-finals for the second straight season and an overall inconsistent effort throughout the year.
Brown suffered an injury, resulting in a momentum swinging losing streak for the Pack. Leslie suffered with inconsistency—all season.
Both of these players have what it takes to be great but they didn’t maintain that high level all year. Brown’s absence hurt the team when he was out, but his injury affected his play when he returned. Leslie showed flashes of greatness but never sustained it.
Leslie, who probably would have gone in the first round last season, opted to stay in school—an admirable decision. This year, he’s done nothing but hurt his draft stock.
Brown was recently named to the All-ACC second team while Leslie was named to the third team.
Leslie finished his junior campaign averaging 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Brown averaged 7.0 assists per game, best in the ACC, and 12.5 points.
Many reports surfaced Tuesday, one of the first from CBS Sport’s Jeff Goodman and Jeff Borzello.
“NC State’s Lorenzo Brown is expected to declare for the NBA Draft,” Goodman said, according to sources.
Borzello reported that Leslie will also forgo his senior year and had confirmation from “sources.”
By mid-afternoon, reports were all over the web that Brown and Leslie wouldn’t be returning.
Leslie responded on Twitter saying, “Who said I was leaving.”
Brown tweeted to Leslie eight minutes later.
“Church to that,” he said.
In many “mock drafts,” Leslie isn’t even a first round selection. His inconstancy and failure to live up to early preseason expectations tainted his stock. Brown is projected as a late first round pick.
According to Draft Express’s latest mock draft, Brown would be selected 29th overall by the San Antonio Spurs and Leslie would be early in the second round, the fifth pick in the later rounds by the Detroit Pistons.
Plain and simple, these two players are worth more than a late first or early second round pick.
The team couldn’t function if Brown and Leslie were not on the court—the Pack was unrecognizable. Brown and Leslie can be highly productive NBA players, but not yet.
If they decide to make the jump, they could be an instant success, but it’ll be tough.
As the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band AC/DC once said, “It’s a long way to the top, if you want to rock and roll.”
They could take the money and run—totally understandable. How many people would turn down millions of dollars to play one more year of college when your career is right in front of you?
Leslie can be molded when he gets to the next level, and Brown will turn 23 in August. The decision to go, if they do decide on the NBA, would be frowned upon by many Wolfpack faithful. Fans will ultimately have to come to terms with the decision.
But in a perfect world, Leslie and Brown would return to the Pack. The message from most supporters: finish what you started — two back-to-back NCAA tournament bids and ACC tournament semi-final losses. With three McDonalds All-Americans, who are rising sophomores, and a solid incoming freshman class, there is room to improve upon that.
Former players Scott Wood and Richard Howell will be out of the picture. It would be their time to shine.
If they stay, the team will again be atop the ACC preseason rankings. They will have a bitter taste in their mouths, motivating them to take the next step that wasn’t taken the last two years.
If it’s about the money, they should go. Take the money, run, and hold their heads up high being a late first or early second round pick.
But this is the message they need to hear: make a difference, show your true colors, raise your draft stock and finish what you started—give the Wolfpack one more year.
