I am hoping he commits to Kansas so he can transfer to us after his Freshman year.

[Edited on April 16, 2014 at 10:31 AM. Reason : 1]

4/16/2014 10:30:40 AM

http://northcarolinastate.scout.com/a.z?s=178&p=2&c=1394271&ssf=1&RequestedURL=http%3a%2f%2fnorthcarolinastate.scout.com%2f2%2f1394271.html


Can somebody post the whole article (if that's possible)??

4/16/2014 11:21:08 AM

Quote :

"Devonte Graham thought he had found what he was looking for when he signed with Appalachian State in the fall of 2012. A standout at Raleigh (NC) Broughton High School, Graham picked the Mountaineers over several other mid-major programs. "At that time I think I was viewed as more of a mid-major player," said Graham. "Out of all the schools recruiting me they were there and came to a lot of games. "I was looking mainly at them, UNC-W, ECU, and some other schools, but when I went on my visit I liked it. I also had a good relationship with coach Capel and coach Gainey." However, shortly after signing Graham said he began to question if he made the right decision... if he should he have waited until the spring to sign. "I wasn't sure," he said. "I felt like I could play on a higher level and really just had a change of heart about it." Once he realized that he wanted to explore his options, Graham said he notified the App. State coaches of his decision. But, they didn't want to release him from his letter of intent which led him to choosing the prep school route. Players attend prep schools for a variety of reasons, and Graham wanted to put himself in a position to be recruited again but also receive additional exposure. "T.J. [Warren], I played with him in AAU and he went to Brewster and so did Ike [Copeland]... I knew he was going there," said Graham. "It really made my decision easy, for me to attend Brewster. "It's been a great year. It's a great experience being away from home. The competition was much better than regular high school, and I've improved so much." Graham wasn't released from his letter of intent until last week, when App. State named a new head coach to replace Capel. Immediately, his recruitment exploded. "It was a huge relief," said Graham. "After having to wait a year and two months, it was a huge relief. I never actually questioned what I did. I was going with the flow, and once I got released that's when I knew I had made the right decision. "I think I was released last Wednesday, and those first three days were really, really busy. I met with three or four head coaches a day. Now it's a dead period so it slowed down a lot, and I've narrowed my list down already." Initially he was considering nearly 20 schools but has quickly cut the list down to five: Kansas, NC State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Providence. This weekend he will head to Kansas for his first official visit. "The program speaks for itself," Graham said of Kansas. "Coach Self came down and we talked, and it seems like he really wants me to be there. He thought I should visit and see for myself if it's where I want be." The next trip will be to NC State, Graham's hometown school. He will be back in Raleigh next Monday for his official visit. Graham is already familiar with the Wolfpack coaching staff. "Coach Gottfried, I've known him since I think my sophomore year in high school because I've been playing with his son," he said. "He's been to all my games because he's watched his son play, so I know he knows how I play. Plus, coach Early, he grew up knowing one of my uncles." What does Graham like about the Wolfpack? "I can play right away at State," he stated. "I could come in and play with Cat [Barber]. He's a great player... I actually played against him my senior year at Broughton so I know his game. "Plus, being at home, that's another factor for them right there." Graham admitted that a recent transfer impacted his feelings about the Wolfpack. "Tyler Lewis leaving State, that definitely pushed them up my list," he said. "I don't really think I would even be considering them if Tyler was still there because they would still have two really good young point guards." After Graham's NC State trip he is scheduled to officially visit Virginia on April 25th. The Cavaliers appear to be a major player as well. "A lot like with State, I think I can play early at Virginia," he stated. "I think they have just one true point guard so the opportunity to play right away is there. Plus, they just won the ACC... they are a program that's on the rise." While he hasn't set visits to Virginia Tech and Providence, they are under consideration mainly because Graham felt a connection with both head coaches. "I like Virginia Tech and Providence. When the coaches came here, I got the feeling that coach Buzz and coach Cooley are two inspirational coaches. They both really impressed me." "I don't know if I'll take all five [visits]," he added. "People say it can get tiring after a while, but I don't want to make another rushed decision that I will regret. I have to make the best decision. I won't get a third chance." Graham knows exactly what he will be looking for on his trips. "I want to see where I fit in best," he said. "That's going to be real key for me. I want to watch the players... see how I get along with them. "I'm also looking for the opportunity to come in and play right away. I want to be able to trust the coaches, that's a big factor for me. I also want to go to a winning program and get exposure to where I can possibly play in the NBA." Brewster Academy head coach Jason Smith raved about Graham this spring. Smith, who has coached college point guard standouts such as Semaj Christon and Naadir Tharpe, believes one school will be landing a gem in Graham. "The kid was dynamite this year," Smith told Scout.com's Evan Daniels last week. "I honestly think he can play anywhere. He’s as good as any point guard we’ve ever had here. "He was by far our most valuable player on the season. He runs a team, makes great decisions, shoots the balls and defends.""

4/16/2014 11:44:31 AM

Quote :

""Tyler Lewis leaving State, that definitely pushed them up my list," he said. "I don't really think I would even be considering them if Tyler was still there because they would still have two really good young point guards.""

well there you go.

4/16/2014 12:28:29 PM

^^ Thanks! Good article.

4/17/2014 1:45:22 AM

Quote :

""I don't know if I'll take all five [visits]," he added. "People say it can get tiring after a while, but I don't want to make another rushed decision that I will regret. I have to make the best decision. I won't get a third chance.""

Those are some wise words from a teenager. Hope he comes home to Raleigh!

4/17/2014 2:43:49 PM

I don't think Providence or VT are really even in the picture. I think he just wants 5 schools on his list right now. KU, NCSU or UVA with KU/NCSU at the top. His statement where he says hes not sure if he'll take all 5 visits is very telling.

4/17/2014 2:58:58 PM

^He set up 3 visits out of the 5 schools, and considering those 3 are Kansas/NCSU/UVA, I really don't think he'll take more than those 3 at most.

We just have to hope he makes it back from Kansas without committing.

4/17/2014 3:26:14 PM

Anyone know exactly what this guy's strengths are? He's clearly going to play behind Cat next season at the PG spot, but is he a good enough shooter to steal some minutes at the 2 as well? I know we've already got Ralston, Lacey, and the Martin twins (think one of them is supposed to be pretty solid from the perimeter), but I really would love another semi-capable 3 point option after only having 1 the past few seasons.

4/17/2014 3:50:32 PM

from the HighLigHT video he seems to have a good stroke and i've heard that he's a good shooter and can play some at the 2... but i don't know for sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB_BawnpPIE

[Edited on April 17, 2014 at 4:11 PM. Reason : ]

4/17/2014 4:04:23 PM

Quote :

"but I really would love another semi-capable 3 point option after only having 1 the past few seasons."

Lacey was 37% his last year at bama

4/17/2014 4:13:45 PM

so, the same % turner shot this year?

4/17/2014 6:08:24 PM

Turner was a legit #2 scorer late in the season, but overall streaky at times. Having a 2nd threat means teams won't be able to just concentrate on one 3-point threat, but Turner won't have teams focusing on one player like they were this past season on Warren.

4/17/2014 9:16:10 PM

You guys still talking about offense?

4/18/2014 12:51:10 AM

how's he at making free throws?

4/18/2014 4:56:53 AM

Caught a few tidbits from the Jordan Brand regional game and Abu had a workman-like double-double.

I feel like he will eventually turn in to a d-d machine for us...

4/19/2014 6:54:07 AM

Hopefully we can defend a ball screen better than fucking Vandy.

4/19/2014 2:19:36 PM

Abu is pure butterstick

4/19/2014 3:41:21 PM

Yeah we are talking about offense, they have to guard us too pal.

4/19/2014 4:12:08 PM

Can't believe we aren't focusing on special teams. That's where games are won.

4/19/2014 7:37:20 PM

Gott hanging out with the Pump brothers...

4/20/2014 6:46:49 AM

Quote :

"Hopefully we can defend a ball screen better than fucking Vandy."

You shut your whore mouth.

4/20/2014 9:18:03 AM

Saw that our old friend Torian Graham committed to a Kelvin Sampson at Houston..

4/21/2014 9:25:51 AM

Devonte Graham's visit starts today.

We Gott This.

4/21/2014 9:46:43 AM

so glad we won't be in a position to have multiple players named graham and the ensuing Golden Grahams jokes.

4/21/2014 9:54:28 AM

Quote :

"Saw that our old friend Torian Graham committed to a Kelvin Sampson at Houston.. "

Hope he does well. That kid's story is pretty rough.

4/21/2014 10:07:28 AM

I hope the devonte graham visit went well.

I kept hoping I would see someone update this thread and say he committed during his visit.

4/23/2014 11:28:47 AM

i hope he signs his LOI at Sammy's

4/23/2014 11:39:58 AM

Sounds like his visit went well but he didn't commit and is still heading to UVA for OV there on Friday(guessing it lasts through the weekend).

He even said he might take more visits after that, so sound like we didn't lock-it up while he was on campus.

4/23/2014 12:43:33 PM

Considering this guy sat for a long time angry that he committed so quickly to App, I'm sure he will be taking his time making his decision this time around.

4/23/2014 12:46:35 PM

do universities still have slew crews that take the guys out and sleep with them? if that's still the case, I'd take as many visits as I could.

4/23/2014 1:27:54 PM

http://northcarolinastate.scout.com/2/1396457.html

Quote :

"Brewster Academy (NH) point guard Devonte Graham has started taking visits and it closing in on making a decision. He completed his NC State trip this morning and discussed his recruitment with Pack Pride. Brewster Academy (NH) point guard Devonte Graham narrowed his list to Kansas, NC State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Providence last week and his first trip was to Kansas. He visited the Jayhawks last Friday. "I liked it a lot at Kansas," said Graham. "How the players got along, that stood out. The coaches and players... it felt like a big family there. Plus they win. The program, it speaks for itself." Next up for Graham was his official visit to NC State. Graham, who grew up just minutes from the Wolfpack's campus, was taking his first "true" visit as the ACC school didn't recruit him heavily when he attended Raleigh (NC) Broughton High School. "It went well... I enjoyed it actually," said Graham. "I didn't know the campus that big. When I was in high school the only thing I really did was team camp there so I hadn't been all around the campus. "I'd say the players stood out the most to me... how I fit in with them. It was real good." Graham, who was accompanied on his trip by his parents, indicated that the Wolfpack coaching staff felt they had the program moving in the right direction. "They told me they'd be really good coming up," he said. "They said they just need certain pieces. With me being there, it would be good for their program and for me and my family. They talked about how everybody I know could come out and support that." Who was Graham's player host for his visit? "Trevor Lacey was my host," he stated. "I got to know Trevor this past summer when we played in the summer league together. I like Trevor a lot. He told me that if I came there it would work well for me because it's a really good system. He said he wouldn't be there if he didn't think it was a great system. "I played with Trevor so I know he's going to be a huge help for NC State. He's real good. With T.J. [Warren] gone, Trevor can create his own shot, he can create for others, and he's a leader. He didn't play it this year, but the guys listen to him." Graham also indicated that while on his visit he got the chance to play with some Wolfpack players. "That was big," he said. "I got to see how the guys play. I think NC State can be really good. They'll get up and down the floor, and the scoring will be more balanced." Next up for Graham is a visit to Virginia. As of now, he doesn't have a timeframe for making a decision. "I'm not sure yet," he said. "I go to Virginia on Friday. Right now I don't have any other visits scheduled, but I might take a couple more. If I feel like I know where I want to go I'll make a decision." A four-star point guard recruit, Graham had a breakout season for Brewster Academy. "The kid was dynamite this year," Brewster head coach Jason Smith previously told Scout.com's Evan Daniels. "I honestly think he can play anywhere. He’s as good as any point guard we’ve ever had here. "He was by far our most valuable player on the season. He runs a team, makes great decisions, shoots the balls and defends.""

4/23/2014 3:22:56 PM

Wonder how many times they mention Thomas Jefferson on an official UVA visit.

4/23/2014 3:36:48 PM

Anyone have ESPN Inside that would like to copy/paste their thoughts on our #17 ranking recruiting class for next year?

http://insider.espn.go.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/classrankings/rank?rank=17&class=2014&date=20140409

4/23/2014 5:34:28 PM

3^ anyone else think he was a little muted in his response? His Kansas comments seemed more enthusiastic and he didn't mention anything about wanting to be close to home.

4/23/2014 6:24:02 PM

4/23/2014 6:28:15 PM

Quote :

"Wonder how many times they mention Thomas Jefferson on an official UVA visit."

There they just refer to him as "Mr. Jefferson."

It's a campus tradition to touch his statue while streaking.

4/23/2014 8:36:33 PM

Quote :

"3^ anyone else think he was a little muted in his response? His Kansas comments seemed more enthusiastic and he didn't mention anything about wanting to be close to home."

j
yeah, that kid is going to kansas.

4/23/2014 10:28:35 PM

for eli

Quote :

"Who they have: Abdul-Malik Abu is high-energy with a physically imposing body who rebounds first and foremost, runs the floor and goes to the blocks to start, then works his way out on the perimeter. Along with the twins Caleb and Cody Martin, NC State has the wing position covered as well as the power forward spot. There's plenty of versatility and scoring punch with this trio, as the Wolfpack continue to stay hot on the recruiting trail and remain relevant in the ACC. Who they want: NC State will look to evaluate during the season and reshuffle the deck for the late signing period, including possibly a few backcourt targets."

Looks like the reason we shot up in the rankings is because Cody Martin is now ranked as the #25 SF, if I'm not mistaken he was much lower than that when we were ranked #24

4/24/2014 7:58:31 AM

Yeah one of the Martin twins dropped quite a bit in the rankings last year after an injury but after some strong play he's jumped back up which pushed our overall ranking up.

Abu's offensive game and college ready body are being compared to JJ Hickson, if he has the same work ethic then I see no reason he won't be a great piece for us. Should pair up nicely with our more defensive minded bigs.

4/24/2014 8:33:53 AM

Quote :

"anyone else think he was a little muted in his response? His Kansas comments seemed more enthusiastic and he didn't mention anything about wanting to be close to home."

Yeah, but it could just be the nature of journalism, and not capturing everything he said. He could have been equally enthusiastic about us as Kansas. Also, it's Kansas - the kid is going to be awestruck.

4/24/2014 10:15:38 AM

Spoke with a buddy of mine that played football for State in the 90s (he's still really involved with the university and knows the current basketball players well) and he said that the team feels we'll get Graham.

Take it for what it's worth - I still think he goes to KU or UVA but it's encouraging at least.

4/24/2014 10:29:24 AM

I feel like UVA is more of a threat than Kansas based on location and style of play. Seems like the idea of playing somewhat close to home is appealing.

4/24/2014 11:01:09 AM

Quote :

" buddy of mine that played football for State in the 90s (he's still really involved with the university and knows the current basketball players well) "

You know Eric Leak?

4/24/2014 11:20:36 AM

hahaha that's exactly what i was going to say

4/24/2014 12:03:14 PM

^^^^

So a guy you know that you claim to be an insider thinks we'll get him. But you don't put enough stock in his credibility to agree with that assessment.

Help me understand-- what was the point of even posting it then?

4/24/2014 12:50:10 PM

My brother is a student and saw Devonte Graham hanging out with Staats on campus yesterday.

Read too much into it.

4/24/2014 1:24:51 PM

Quote :

"So a guy you know that you claim to be an insider thinks we'll get him. But you don't put enough stock in his credibility to agree with that assessment. Help me understand-- what was the point of even posting it then?"

Insider or not, an opinion is an opinion. He didn't say he's a lock, just that the sentiment on the team is that he'll come here.

I posted it to reiterate what some players on the team told my friend, and even they can't be sure what this kid is going to do at the end of the day. It's just extra positive information as much of the talk in this thread is speculative anyway.

4/24/2014 1:58:03 PM

Funny how much Graham shot up in the ranks over the last month or so, mainly when he landed the Kansas, UVA, and State offers.

Scout: 4* PG, #23 ranked PG in the class, and overall not in the top 100 players in the class of '14.

Rivals: 4* PG, #2 ranked PG in the class, and overall #36 in the nation for the class of '14.

Maybe Scout hasn't updated lately, but that's a pretty big difference in rankings.

4/24/2014 2:07:59 PM

it's not really a secret that scout.com rankings are primarily based on offer lists.

4/24/2014 2:09:49 PM