The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1190316
JANUARY 2020 ■ 61 TRACY SMITH POWER FORWARD (2007-11) The lone player on the squad that didn't play his entire career in the 2010-19 decade, Smith sometimes gets lost in the shuffle for how gifted a low-post scorer he was. The 6-8, 255-pounder from Detroit played at Durham (N.C.) Mount Zion, and was ranked No. 47 in the class of 2007 by Rivals.com. Smith slowly adjusted to playing defense on the college level, but by the time he was a junior, he was a force. He averaged 16.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in 2009-10, helping the Wolfpack reach the NIT. He earned second-team All-ACC accolades for his efforts. He suffered a minor knee injury but still averaged 14.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game his senior year. He finished his Wolfpack career with clips of 11.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, and shot an impressive 52 percent from the field in 106 contests. RICHARD HOWELL CENTER (2009-13) The bruising Howell followed former NC State center J.J. Hickson in going from Marietta (Ga.) Wheeler High to NC State. Rivals.com ranked him as the No. 61 pros - pect in the country in the class of 2009, and he played traveling team basketball with fu- ture teammates Lorenzo Brown and C.J. Leslie at various points on the Worldwide Renegades. Howell proved he could rebound and play physi - cal, but his weight grew to more than 270 pounds on his 6-8 frame during his first years under Lowe. He lost more than 20 pounds and became a much- improved player under Gottfried for his last two years of college. He averaged 12.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per contest while shooting 57 percent from the field his senior year, which earned him first- team All-ACC honors. In 132 contests at NC State, he averaged 9.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, and played in the NCAA Tournament twice and NIT once. Howell finished his career fifth among the Pack's all-time leading rebounders (1,055) and first in offensive boards (392). He is one of just five players in program history to reach 1,000 rebounds and points (1,214). Howell has since gotten an Israeli passport and is currently playing with Hapoel Holon in Israel. C.J. LESLIE POWER FORWARD (2010-13) The 6-9, 200-pounder from Holly Springs, N.C., who attended Raleigh Word of God his last three years of high school, arrived at NC State with much fanfare. Rivals.com ranked him No. 14 overall in the class of 2010, he played in the McDonald's All-American Game and he had a much- followed recruitment. Leslie committed to NC State after his freshman year at Holly Springs High, and then he decommitted, only to pledge again on April 29, 2010. He played one year for Lowe and two for Gottfried before entering the NBA Draft a year early. He averaged 13.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 99 career games, while the Wolfpack reached the Sweet 16 of the 2012 NCAA Tournament and first round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament. He was named second-team All-ACC in 2012 and third- team all-league in 2013, after leading the team in scoring both years. L e s l i e d i d n ' t get d r a f t e d a n d h a s p l aye d i n t h e G - League and overseas since college. Sixth Man PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN PHOTO BY LARRY BLANKENSHIP PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN