It seemed like just about everyone in the ACC wanted Alabama transfer Trevor Lacey, but it’s Mark Gottfried and NC State who get to take him to the dance.
Big transfer news: Former Alabama player Trevor Lacey has just picked N.C. State and will play for coach @Mark_Gottfried. Great pick up.
— Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) June 17, 2013
This is a great get for the Wolfpack. Even though Lacey has to sit out a year, he still softens the blow of this off-seasons defections.
Here is what I wrote about Lacey when news first leaked that he was considering NC State:
Coming out of high school, Lacey was a 5-star baller and 15th ranked shooting guard in the class of 2011. A two-time Alabama Mr. Basketball, he’s a classic catch and shoot three-point scorer, with NBA size, 6-3/210.
As a freshman, Lacey went the one-dimensional route. 54-percent of his shots on the season were three-point attempts. He hit just 31-percent of them. However, as a sophomore, he developed his ball handling skills, spent more time in the lane and become a more balanced scorer. On the season, he averaged 11.3 PPG, 3.8 rebound and 3.2 assists, getting his three-point percentage up to 37-percent.
What’s most impressive about this get for Gottfried is that he was directly taking on his fellow ACC coaches. Both North Carolina and Miami were trying to land Lacey and despite showing up a little late to the game, there were rumors Pitt’s Jamie Dixon had wiggled his way into the favorite spot. So much for that.
As for Lacey, it’s too bad he has to sit out a year. If he was allowed to join this coming season’s squad, he’d be an instant starter.
However, he’s going to have to wait and watch as Anthony “Cat” Barber, Tyler Lewis, Ralston Turner and Juco transfer Desmond Lee all get a year of experience under their belts. All four are expect back for the 2014-15 season, along with two four-star wing players (brothers Celeb Martin and Cody Martin). So there will be plenty of competition for Lacey when he is eligible to play again.
