Report: Hickson to enter NBA draft
Freshman center won't hire agent while seeing where he would be drafted
Clark Leonard
Issue date: 3/18/08 Section: Sports
|
Hickson, an ACC All-Freshman team selection, scored 27 points in Thursday's 63-50 ACC Tournament loss against Miami. After the game, Hickson said he wasn't sure what he would do in regards to the draft.
"You and I both know the NBA isn't going anywhere," Hickson said. "So if I'm where I want to be on the draft board, I'm going to get together with my family and my coaching staff and make a decision. But if I'm not where I want to be, I'm going to come back to N.C. State for another season."
Hickson also said Lowe had not promised him anything about playing time or his role, and he said that approach had made his freshman season a good learning experience.
With his reported decision not to hire an agent, he would retain the option to return to school if he felt like he would not be as high a pick as he wants to be.
ESPN analyst Dick Vitale, who was in Charlotte covering the ACC Tournament this past weekend, said he hopes Hickson doesn't go pro.
"J.J. Hickson, I hope he comes back to school. He's such a force inside," Vitale said.
Though he expressed that sentiment, Vitale also said State could still be good even if Hickson leaves.
"But they've got a nice nucleus to build on even if he leaves because they have some physical players," Vitale said. "They've got to hope that the recruits they have coming in can contribute right away."
Lowe said after Thursday's loss that his first concern in the situation is what is best for Hickson, though he said he hopes his freshman star won't go pro just for the sake of going pro.
"My concern is him No. 1 and our team second," Lowe said. "That's what I told him when I recruited him."
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 6
???
posted 3/18/08 @ 10:48 AM EST
"My concern is him No. 1 and our team second," Lowe said. "That's what I told him when I recruited him."
What does that mean?
M
posted 3/18/08 @ 1:15 PM EST
I agree with Zach above. Students go to a game to support a team of players, not a single player. It's disappointing to here a coach whose team represents 30,000+ students, and alumni, to have a player at a higher priority than the team. (Continued…)
Herb
posted 3/18/08 @ 1:32 PM EST
"My concern is him No. 1 and our team second," Lowe said. "That's what I told him when I recruited him."
I've been saying it all year, and now it's confirmed. (Continued…)
Andrew
posted 3/18/08 @ 4:28 PM EST
J.J. Hickson is overrated anyway. It was the "let JJ do it" attitude that screwed the season to begin with.
...
posted 3/19/08 @ 7:08 AM EST
I'm not saying fire Lowe and this may have been taken out of context, though I can't really think of a context that'd be appropraite in.
I just think that Lowe should realize how people are going to interpret things like that and, if that's really what he meant to say, someone needs to stand up and let him know that there's no "JJ" in team. (Continued…)
Post a Comment