It’s no secret that junior forward C.J. Leslie hasn’t lived up to expectations this year. By no means is his play the sole reason that N.C. State has underachieved this year, but it has definitely been a contributing factor.
Case in point: on Feb. 23 against UNC Chapel Hill, Leslie finished the game with 6 points on 3-of-8 shooting from the field, 4 rebounds and 6 turnovers. He also shot 0-for-4 from the free throw line and the Tar Heels outscored the Wolfpack by 27 points when he was on court.
I know it was frustrating to watch that game. It must’ve been even more frustrating for Leslie. But what’s most frustrating is that it’s happened countless times throughout his three years at N.C. State. He hasn’t learned from his mistakes.
Just this past Saturday, Leslie turned in another wayward performance, picking up three fouls in the first eight minutes of the game to earn a seat on the bench for the remainder of the half.
Then at the end of the game, when the Wolfpack was losing, Leslie was called for a walk and then, only seconds later, lost control of the basketball while on a fast break. At the end of the game, when every possession counts, Leslie committed two inexcusable turnovers.
But before we criticize him for two poor performances at the end of the season, let’s be real. Anyone who’s been watching the Wolfpack play since Leslie’s poor game at Chapel Hill has seen Leslie’s effort level increase exponentially. Regardless of the results, he’s sure as hell trying much harder than he used to.
The knock against Leslie was that he always looked detached from the game, almost like he didn’t care. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The reason Leslie came back to State was because he wanted to win basketball games. He gives his all for this University every day, and he just wants to help his team win. Winning is all that matters to him, nothing else.
Nothing is more infuriating for a competitor than losing. Despite the almost indifferent expression on Leslie’s face, he is a competitor at heart.
For State to win, Leslie has to perform on the offensive end. Night in and night out, Leslie has been the offensive focus of this Wolfpack team. If Leslie isn’t scoring, then the focal point of the Wolfpack’s offense is missing.
Anyone who plays competitive sports knows that you have good days and bad days; the UNC and FSU games were just off days for Leslie. The timing isn’t the best, but he can’t help it. Nobody can.
Wolfpack fans have a nasty habit of blaming Leslie for everything that goes wrong. Sure, some things are his fault, but he’s unfairly being turned into a pariah every time State loses a basketball game.
When State loses, other players have bad games, too. Not just Leslie. Richard Howell hasn’t been playing great as of late either, nor has Lorenzo Brown. But I don’t see them getting any blame for the losses – it’s all being put on Leslie’s shoulders.
We’re also talking about a guy who stuck with State when he could’ve left for the greener pastures of the NBA Draft last April. Leslie decided to remain with the Wolfpack so he could win basketball games and help State try to reach heights they haven’t seen since the 1980s.
We should stand behind Leslie in defeat just like we do after he helps us to victory. Leslie stuck with Wolfpack Nation when we needed him most, and now more than ever, Leslie needs Wolfpack Nation to stick with him.
Whether you give up on Leslie or not is your choice. But I’m not giving up on Leslie, or this Wolfpack team, for two reasons. First, it’s in my blood as a Wolfpack fan to never give up. And second, I have a feeling that both are destined for great things in the coming month.
