NC State All-Decade Basketball Team
It's been an eventful 10 seasons for the NC State basketball program, with some high highs -- including two trips to the Sweet 16 -- and some disappointing lows -- including the cloud of still-unresolved NCAA allegations.
Along the way, some unforgettable players suited up for the Wolfpack.
In honor of their achievements, SI Wolfpack Maven has compiled a list of the best of the best in the form of an All-Decade team for the 2010s.
Frontcourt
T.J. Warren (2012-14): A second-generation Wolfpacker whose father played for Coach Norm Sloan in the late 1970s, the 6-foot-8 forward was the ACC's Player of the Year and a consensus All-American in 2013-14 -- the second of his two seasons at State. Warren averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game that season, posting nine games of 30 or more points along the way. His two best games were the final two of his college career, a 41-point performance against Pittsburgh, followed by a 42-point outburst against Boston College. He shot 67 percent from the floor in those games (30 of 45) and finished his career with a two-year field goal percentage of .525. Warren left after his sophomore year and was taken by the Phoenix Suns with the 14th overall pick in the NBA draft.
C.J. Leslie (2010-13): A McDonald's All-American recruited by Sidney Lowe, the 6-9 Leslie became the face of the program during the first two seasons of the Mark Gottfried era. He led the team in scoring during both 2011-12 and 2012-13, helping the team to the NCAA tournament both seasons. He was the ACC's preseason Player of the Year in 2012-13, but even though he averaged 15.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game that season while shooting better than 51 percent from the floor and earning third-team All-ACC recognition, he was considered by some as an underachiever because of his inconsistency. Leslie will best be remembered for scoring 25 points to help upset then No. 1 Duke in 2013, then rescuing wheelchair-bound student Will Privette from being trampled during the subsequent court-rushing celebration. He finished his career averaging 13.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks.
Richard Howell (2009-2013): A 6-8 power forward who weighed upwards of 270 pounds when he arrived at State, Howell blossomed once he shed 20 of those pounds and replaced them with muscle and stamina. After averaging 7.4 points and 6.5 rebounds off the bench as a sophomore, he developed into the ACC's premier rebounder over his final two seasons -- each of which ended with the Wolfpack in the NCAA tournament. Howell led the ACC offensive rebounds as a junior and led the league in rebounding as a senior, averaging a double-double at 12.7 points and 10.9 boards per game on the way to selection as a first-team All-ACC performer. Howell went on to become a star in the Israeli League and later, for that country's national team.
Backcourt
Dennis Smith Jr. (2016-17): Smith will ultimately go down as one of the most controversial figures in Wolfpack basketball history because of his involvement in a federal investigation that led to the conviction of three Adidas officials and the NCAA issuing a notice of allegations to State over a $40,000 payment that was allegedly made to the star point guard. On the court, though, Smith's one-and-done season was a succesful one. He was the ACC's Rookie of the Year and a second-team All-ACC selection after averaging 18.1 points, 5.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game. In addition to his two triple-doubles, only the second and third in school history, he also led State to its first win at Duke in 27 years by scoring 32 points on 10 of 18 shooting with six assists against the Blue Devils.
Cat Barber (2013-16): A McDonald's All-American, Barber was one of the most highly-rated point guard prospects in the country when he came to State, Barber was a complemetary player on the NCAA tournament team of 2013-14 before becoming a star in his own right for the final two seasons of his college career. A flashy player known for his quick moves to the basket and his trademark pony tail, he led the ACC in scoring at 23.5 points per game as a senior in 2015-16, also averaging 4.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists to earn first-team all-conference honors. He amassed 1,507 points in his three seasons, 13th on the Wolfpack's career scoring list, before declaring for the NBA draft
