Former NC State basketball player T.J. Warren had his jersey honored on Sunday night at PNC Arena and it served as a reminder of the excellent individual athletes who have come through Raleigh, particularly in the last five years.
Wolfpack fans don’t need to be reminded about the lack of team success in recent memory, but that doesn’t take away from the excellent individual performances that have happened in the red and white. There will be some NC State fans who will gripe about the lack of team success during this time, but that is not fair to these players. They deserve the recognition and appreciation from Wolfpack fans.
On April 25, two former Wolfpack football players, Garrett Bradbury and Kelvin Harmon, have a very good chance to get drafted in the first round of the NFL draft. If at least one of them does go in the first round, that will be six former NC State players who have been drafted in the first round of either the NFL, NBA or MLB in the last five years.
The most incredible part of this is the five players who have already gone in the first round the last five years have all been picked in the first half of their respective drafts.
Warren was picked 14th overall in the 2014 NBA draft. Carlos Rodon and Trea Turner went third and 13th respectively in the 2014 MLB draft. Three years later, Dennis Smith Jr. went ninth overall in the NBA draft. Just last year, Bradley Chubb went fifth overall in the NFL draft.
That’s a lot of talent that has been in Raleigh in the last five years.
As for individual awards, Warren won ACC player of the year after averaging 24.8 PPG. Rodon was one of the most decorated college baseball players ever, winning ACC Rookie of the Year, Pitcher of the Year and finishing as a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, all in his freshman season and was an All-American every year he was in Raleigh.
Turner was an All-American his first two seasons and won the Brooks Wallace Award his junior season, which goes to the best shortstop in the nation.
Smith won the ACC freshman of the year award in his one season in Raleigh. Chubb won the Nagurski Award, among other awards, which goes to the best defensive player in all of college football.
There is more on the way in the very near future. Harmon and Bradbury could be the next first round picks in April. Junior shortstop Will Wilson will almost assuredly be another first round pick from the baseball team this June. Sophomore catcher Patrick Bailey is right behind him next year, when he’s eligible.
In fact, Bailey could be in the mix to go first overall in the draft. If that were to happen NC State would join an exclusive group of schools that have had players drafted first overall in the MLB, NBA and NFL drafts with LSU and UCLA.
Wolfpack alum David Thompson was drafted first overall in 1975 in the NBA while Mario Williams went No. 1 in 2006 in the NFL draft. Rodon was assumed a lock to go first overall after his freshman season but he was passed on, likely because he had become overanalyzed after being expected to go first overall for so long.
Regardless, it’s impressive the individual talent that the Pack has cranked out, even just in the last five years. If you go back further than that, there’s Philip Rivers and Russell Wilson who are still in the NFL and numerous legendary basketball players.
At some point, team success is going to come for NC State. It’s only a matter of time. But in the meantime, Wolfpack fans should not take for granted the incredible individual athletes who have come through Raleigh the last five years.
Former forward T.J. Warren poses for a photo with his family and Director of Athletics Debbie Yow in front of his honored jersey before NC State’s game against Wake Forest on Sunday, Feb. 25 at PNC Arena. Warren wore number 24 for the Wolfpack and played for the team from 2012-2014. He won ACC Player of the Year and second-team All-American in 2014, along with many other honors.
