The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/125393
2013 basketball recruiting issue Washington, who measures 6-9, 218 pounds, played this past season at Wolfeboro (N.H.) Brewster Academy, the same prep school sophomore T.J. Warren attended for his last year of high school. photo by andrew shurtleff hit the glass hard and lead the team in rebounding. I tried to sharpen my mid-range and step out for the pick-and-pop once in a while. You want to have a complete game." Washington saved some of his best basketball for the end of the season. He had 18 points and nine rebounds in an 87-82 victory over Rock Hill (S.C.) Believe Prep March 5 in the first round of the National Prep School Championship in New Haven, Conn. He followed with 17 points in a 74-51 semifinal win over Oakdale (Conn.) St. Thomas More the next day. Washington's last prep game was a 78-73 loss to Gill (Mass.) Northfield Mount Herman March 7, and Brewster finished the year 32-6. "That was pretty tough to lose, and that was the fourth time playing them," Washington said. "Overall, it was a pretty good year, but we were disappointed to lose to them. It was tough. I won't even lie. I'd still do it all the same." Washington formed a strong rotation with fellow post players Elijah Macon, a postgraduate who signed with West Virginia, and junior Chris McCullough, who is a verbal commit to Syracuse. Being a part of a rotation in high school will help ease the transition to doing the same at NC State next year. "We had three major D-I guys at my position this year," Washington said. "We had to learn to rotate and really learn how to play with each other. Those other two guys were the move to Brewster Academy. Being away from home the last two years helped show him he could handle the distance in college, but he's still close to his family. His father grew up in New York City and once worked for the NBA's New York Knicks. "I was born in Manhattan, but a lot of my family lived in Brooklyn and Queens, and that area," Washington said. "The event was great. My dad's whole side of the family is from Brooklyn and my mom has family in Brooklyn, so it was nice. My mom and aunt were there. I had a whole bunch of family there." Washington was able to go up against a pair of future ACC power forwards in Tyler Roberson (Syracuse) and Michael Young (Pittsburgh) during the all-star game. He finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in 20 minutes. He shot 6 of 12 from the field and missed a pair of free throws. "It was a great experience playing in a pro atmosphere and in a next level atmosphere," Washington said. "When you play in an arena like that, you aren't thinking about the fans. You can hear them all around, but you are just playing. I know it will be like that from now on." Washington was able to watch the Jordan Brand Classic Game, which followed, and he knew several of the players from his days playing with the Howard Pulley traveling team and Nike-based events. The chance to see the majority of the top 20 players in the country gave him a chance to compare where he is in his development. He'll face at least four of those players in the ACC. "I saw a lot of those guys and there was an after party for us," Washington said. "I've played against them during the summer. It was great to see them play and then talk to them afterwards, and see how their experience was." Washington knows everything will be new next year at NC State, and not just "Coach Gottfried told me since day one of my recruitment that this was a great place for me to start my career. … From watching on TV, I think I picked the perfect school for the way I play." ■ Washington great, and I wanted to be a good teammate, too." Washington was excited to have his last official prep game come in the area where his family's roots are. Washington was selected to play in the Jordan Brand Classic Regional All-Star Game April 13 at the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Washington attended Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn., during his junior year before making for him, but the team in general with at least four signees and LSU transfer Ralston Turner eligible. "People are expecting a lot and we are changing the culture [at NC State]," Washington said. "We'll be letting people in the conference know how it is going to be. I think that can be huge. This will be Coach Gottfried's first time really coaching almost all his guys." ■ 32 ■ the wolfpacker 30,32.Kyle Washington.indd 32 4/30/13 3:09 PM