Sophomore forward T.J. Warren of the N.C. State men’s basketball team elected to forgo his final two seasons of eligibility and enter the NBA Draft, revealing perhaps what was the worst-kept secret in college basketball.
Affectionately known as “Tony Buckets” to Wolfpack fans, Warren led the ACC in scoring with 24.9 points per game and also led State in rebounding with 7.1 boards per contest, spearheading a 22-14 Pack team that made the NCAA Tournament for the third time in as many years under head coach Mark Gottfried. Warren played in 35 of State’s 36 games, missing a Jan. 20 win over Maryland due to an ankle injury, and he scored in double figures in all but one of those games, including a pair of 40-point games to close the regular season.
“Playing in the NBA has been a lifelong dream of mine, and playing at N.C. State has prepared me well to achieve my dream,” Warren said in a statement released by the University.
This marks the second consecutive year at least one State player has left early for the draft. Last season, shortly after the Wolfpack fell to Temple in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, forward C.J. Leslie and guard Lorenzo Brown, who each had one season of eligibility left, both declared for the draft. Brown was taken in the second round by the Minnesota Timberwolves, while Leslie went undrafted.
Add to that the graduation of sharpshooter Scott Wood and rebound machine Richard Howell, along with the transfer of guard Rodney Purvis, and Gottfried was tasked with replacing his entire starting lineup.
That’s where Warren came in. With the Wolfpack in search of a leader on and off the court, the Durham native took it upon himself to become the face of the team. He doubled his scoring average, helping the Pack, picked to finish 10th in the ACC, to a seventh-place finish and one of the last bids to the Big Dance. He scored at least 20 points in 31 out of 35 appearances.
Simply put, State without Warren this season would have been like Lucky Charms without marshmallows–awful.
“I truly believe he was the best offensive player in the nation this year,” Gottfried said in the release. “I am excited for T.J. and want the very best for him. I believe in him and will miss having him in our program.”
According to DraftExpress.com, Warren is projected as the No. 18 overall pick by the Boston Celtics. If that prediction holds, he would become the highest pick out of State since Cedric Simmons was taken 15th overall by the New Orleans Hornets in 2006.
With senior center Jordan Vandenberg graduating, the onus will be on rising sophomores Kyle Washington, Lennard Freeman and Beejay Anya to pick up the slack in the frontcourt. Washington showed flashes of brilliance offensively, featuring a smooth mid-range jumper and the ability to stretch defenses. Freeman proved himself as a bulldog on the glass, averaging 5.7 rebounds per game, while Anya tied with Vandenberg for the team lead in blocks with 1.4 per game.
Moreover, the Wolfpack will add 6-foot-8 Abdul-Malik Abu, the No. 7 power forward as rated by ESPN, along with 6-foot-7 twins Caleb and Cody Martin from the famed Oak Hill Academy, offering a level of frontcourt depth State hasn’t had since Gottfried took over.
Additionally, even with sophomore guard Tyler Lewis transferring to Butler, State returns the rest of its backcourt, including rising seniors Desmond Lee and Ralston Turner as well as rising sophomore point guard Anthony “Cat” Barber. Alabama transfer Trevor Lacey also becomes eligible after sitting out this season.
State fans will no doubt miss Warren’s prolific scoring and leadership on the court, as well as his classy behavior off it. But his departure provides an opportunity for someone else to break through and become the next great State player that everyone will talk about for years to come.
So, I think I speak for all of Wolfpack Nation when I wish Warren the very best of luck at the next level.
