[Make’Em Say UGHParticipant]

This isn’t a debate, but more of a case study I’ve grown to notice about my home state of North Carolina. It has always been considered a basketball state (especially on Tobacco Road) but I’ve noticed an expolosion of sorts lately that I feel has went under the radar:

• Stephen Curry winning the MVP & NBA Championship.
• The CP3 vs Curry point guard debate.
• Most top 5 PG lists today feature 3/5 NC products:
• Curry (Charlotte), Paul (Winston Salem), and Wall (Raleigh)

After a 5 year span from 09-14 featuring only two ESPN Top 10 players:

• 2009: John Wall #1 ranked PG
• 2014: Theo Pinson #3 ranked SF

An influx of highly touted prospects appear in this and next years class alone:

• 2015: Brandon Ingram (Kinston) #1 Ranked SF
• 2016: Edrice Adebayo (Pinetown) #2 Ranked PF, Dennis Smith (Fayetteville) #1 Ranked PG, Harry Giles (Winston Salem) #1 Ranked Overall

Hopefully this trend continues and builds the tradition of NC basketball. Although its a basketball state and the home of Jordan it doesn’t have that same feel here as a NY, LA, or Chicago for some reason.

 

[Jr. ROXASParticipant]

I think THE main reason NC does not have the same feel as the cities you mentioned is because they simply do not have a good professional team. There is no sense of pride for the North Carolinas for their basketball team because they stunk for a number of years.

The Bulls, Lakers and Knicks have accomplished so much in their history. They slowed down now, but what they had were franchise players that defined their teams. That’s one other thing a city needs to have. A franchise player to be associated with their team and be forever engraved in the fans’ minds.

The Kincks had Willis Reed and Clyde Frazier, then Bernard King and then Patrick Ewing. Lakers had Magic, Kareem, Kobe and Shaq. Chicago had Jordan and Pippen. The best and most memorable players Charlotte had were Mourning, LJ, Bogues and Baron Davis. But they did not stick in NC too long. MJ just needs to get this team to win and then the hype will come.

 

[Jr. ROXASParticipant]

I think THE main reason NC does not have the same feel as the cities you mentioned is because they simply do not have a good professional team. There is no sense of pride for the North Carolinas for their basketball team because they stunk for a number of years.

The Bulls, Lakers and Knicks have accomplished so much in their history. They slowed down now, but what they had were franchise players that defined their teams. That’s one other thing a city needs to have. A franchise player to be associated with their team and be forever engraved in the fans’ minds.

The Kincks had Willis Reed and Clyde Frazier, then Bernard King and then Patrick Ewing. Lakers had Magic, Kareem, Kobe and Shaq. Chicago had Jordan and Pippen. The best and most memorable players Charlotte had were Mourning, LJ, Bogues and Baron Davis. But they did not stick in NC too long. MJ just needs to get this team to win and then the hype will come.

 

[immortalone23Participant]

Big-time prospects like Harry Giles going to Duke or guys like Adebayo and Smith going to NC State (Ingram at Duke this year) will enhance the hype if they are top picks in the draft. Also, LA and Chicago are two of the three biggest cities in the country; a lot of basketball talent runs through those cities so it’s not a fair comparisson. I 100% agree with Jr. ROXAS! Vince Carter put Toronto on the map, inpsiring Stauskas, Bennet, Lyles, Wiggins ect.

[immortalone23Participant]

Big-time prospects like Harry Giles going to Duke or guys like Adebayo and Smith going to NC State (Ingram at Duke this year) will enhance the hype if they are top picks in the draft. Also, LA and Chicago are two of the three biggest cities in the country; a lot of basketball talent runs through those cities so it’s not a fair comparisson. I 100% agree with Jr. ROXAS! Vince Carter put Toronto on the map, inpsiring Stauskas, Bennet, Lyles, Wiggins ect.

[amanpourjamesParticipant]

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[amanpourjamesParticipant]

We offer high quality novelty passports,visas and green cards at cheap rates([email protected])

 

[ncballer]

 I am a NC guy through and through.  Have lived here for 20 out of 25 years of my existence.  I have a question for the OP, did you grow up here too?

I think the reason that the feel is different is, in addition to the lack of a good professional team, college basketball is a religion down here.  As someone that grew up in the heart of the RDU area, UNC, NCSU and Duke are all within driving distance and let me tell you about what grade school is like there:

When the ACC tourney starts, the teachers have on the TV’s on mute, teach and we watch the game at the same time.  They rush through whatever they have to do so the last 20 min or so of class is nothing but watching basketball.

Same goes for that first weekend of the NCAA tourney. Oh and every teacher has their bracket posted to the doors and is taking bets with the students.  When I was in third grade, I bet my female teacher that UNC would go to the final four.  Her being an NCSU alum, told me if they did she would post the article on her door to the classroom.  Well guess who won, despite UNC being an 8 seed.  

Had very little to no homework whenever there was a UNC/Duke game that night, nor was there ever a test the next day.  Every single teacher would talk about the game from the night before.  From the time November comes around til the end of the season is one big p!ssing match between the students, and teachers about UNC, Duke, NCSU and Wake Forest.  

That was life for me growing up.  Anyone else that grew up in NC or at least Wake County knows what I am talking about.  There is just a much bigger emphasis on college basketball, it’s part of our culture.  You would be hard pressed to find a kid from NC that goes out of state.  There are a few exceptions here and there.  John Wall had a weird recruitment, but I would say that 85% end up staying in state.  It’s hard to get them out when they have grown up in that culture.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ncballer]

 I am a NC guy through and through.  Have lived here for 20 out of 25 years of my existence.  I have a question for the OP, did you grow up here too?

I think the reason that the feel is different is, in addition to the lack of a good professional team, college basketball is a religion down here.  As someone that grew up in the heart of the RDU area, UNC, NCSU and Duke are all within driving distance and let me tell you about what grade school is like there:

When the ACC tourney starts, the teachers have on the TV’s on mute, teach and we watch the game at the same time.  They rush through whatever they have to do so the last 20 min or so of class is nothing but watching basketball.

Same goes for that first weekend of the NCAA tourney. Oh and every teacher has their bracket posted to the doors and is taking bets with the students.  When I was in third grade, I bet my female teacher that UNC would go to the final four.  Her being an NCSU alum, told me if they did she would post the article on her door to the classroom.  Well guess who won, despite UNC being an 8 seed.  

Had very little to no homework whenever there was a UNC/Duke game that night, nor was there ever a test the next day.  Every single teacher would talk about the game from the night before.  From the time November comes around til the end of the season is one big p!ssing match between the students, and teachers about UNC, Duke, NCSU and Wake Forest.  

That was life for me growing up.  Anyone else that grew up in NC or at least Wake County knows what I am talking about.  There is just a much bigger emphasis on college basketball, it’s part of our culture.  You would be hard pressed to find a kid from NC that goes out of state.  There are a few exceptions here and there.  John Wall had a weird recruitment, but I would say that 85% end up staying in state.  It’s hard to get them out when they have grown up in that culture.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Make’Em Say UGHParticipant]

Ironically enough I’m 25 myself plus born and raised here in NC.  You took me back on the traditional upbringing and watching the tourney games in class! (There would always be that 1 tight ass teacher who would ruin it for EVERYONE)

I think the overall tradition is well and in tact, and you definitely know about it if you’re actually here. Everyone made some great points about the pro level aspect of things.

On the outside, I wish it would be brought up more (aside from the college level). For example you always hear about a ‘playground type’ NY ballers (Marbury, Lance, Telfair, Kemba etc.) and it follows them through their respective pro careers. But we don’t necessarily associate the ‘NC’ tag with our superstars such as Curry, Wall, and Paul.

I think it should be more so documented that’s all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Make’Em Say UGHParticipant]

Ironically enough I’m 25 myself plus born and raised here in NC.  You took me back on the traditional upbringing and watching the tourney games in class! (There would always be that 1 tight ass teacher who would ruin it for EVERYONE)

I think the overall tradition is well and in tact, and you definitely know about it if you’re actually here. Everyone made some great points about the pro level aspect of things.

On the outside, I wish it would be brought up more (aside from the college level). For example you always hear about a ‘playground type’ NY ballers (Marbury, Lance, Telfair, Kemba etc.) and it follows them through their respective pro careers. But we don’t necessarily associate the ‘NC’ tag with our superstars such as Curry, Wall, and Paul.

I think it should be more so documented that’s all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ncballer]

You and I had the best childhood.  People from the outside don’t understand! 

You do raise up a good point about the pro superstar brand.  Most people even know that Telfair is from NY even though he had a very sub par NBA career.  What would you propose be done to change that?  The league is gonna be full of some NC talent in the next few years.   

 

[ncballer]

You and I had the best childhood.  People from the outside don’t understand! 

You do raise up a good point about the pro superstar brand.  Most people even know that Telfair is from NY even though he had a very sub par NBA career.  What would you propose be done to change that?  The league is gonna be full of some NC talent in the next few years.   

 

[Memphisboy14Participant]

The D.C/ Baltimore area, Chicago have better talent in my opinion.

[Memphisboy14Participant]

The D.C/ Baltimore area, Chicago have better talent in my opinion.

[TarHeelRavenParticipant]

I was born on campus in Chapel Hill so I have baby blue blood in my veins. I went to college for a year in Greensboro. College basketball is a religion in Carolina. I remember watching the Duke-Carolina game in 2001 in my dorm room and having everybody run out into the hallway after Carolina pulled out a victory in Cameron. The 2016 class is stacked with talent from Carolina, Dennis, Giles, Bam Bam. Other cities like Chicago and DC might have more raw talent coming out yearly but I would bet that North Carolina is one of the most passionate states in terms of college basketball.

[TarHeelRavenParticipant]

I was born on campus in Chapel Hill so I have baby blue blood in my veins. I went to college for a year in Greensboro. College basketball is a religion in Carolina. I remember watching the Duke-Carolina game in 2001 in my dorm room and having everybody run out into the hallway after Carolina pulled out a victory in Cameron. The 2016 class is stacked with talent from Carolina, Dennis, Giles, Bam Bam. Other cities like Chicago and DC might have more raw talent coming out yearly but I would bet that North Carolina is one of the most passionate states in terms of college basketball.

[ncballer]

 That was the game Haywood hit the two free throws after Battier fouled him correct?  One of the most enigmactic teams in UNC history.  

[ncballer]

 That was the game Haywood hit the two free throws after Battier fouled him correct?  One of the most enigmactic teams in UNC history.  

[RecoveringVegetarianParticipant]

 Hey Now!! I’m predicting Dennis Smith will sign wit NC.. I read online A teammates said 2 years ago Smith wrote down some names of some Carolina Legends and placed his name on the list.. Don’t know if he"ll feel that way now.. Because his stock has risen 

[RecoveringVegetarianParticipant]

 Hey Now!! I’m predicting Dennis Smith will sign wit NC.. I read online A teammates said 2 years ago Smith wrote down some names of some Carolina Legends and placed his name on the list.. Don’t know if he"ll feel that way now.. Because his stock has risen 

[ncballer]

 Wish I could share your optimism.  He is my favorite player in the class, but everyone I know that would know something has told me it is foolish to think he will end up anywhere but NCSU.  Adidas shoe influence is big in his recruitment.

[ncballer]

 Wish I could share your optimism.  He is my favorite player in the class, but everyone I know that would know something has told me it is foolish to think he will end up anywhere but NCSU.  Adidas shoe influence is big in his recruitment.

[TarHeelRavenParticipant]

Yes it was my friend. I remember Haywood going to the line and couldn’t watch because he was such a poor free throw shooter. Of course Duke went on to take the title and we lost in the second round to Penn State.

[TarHeelRavenParticipant]

Yes it was my friend. I remember Haywood going to the line and couldn’t watch because he was such a poor free throw shooter. Of course Duke went on to take the title and we lost in the second round to Penn State.

[tuck243Participant]

You’re grabbing an entire state while LA, Chicago, NYC, and the DC/Baltimore area (45 minutes distance) doesn’t cover that much landscape.   I think it’s a little unfair to do that and back your argument.   Chicago still leads with city talent currently and even if you look back into their history they maybe #1.    

[tuck243Participant]

You’re grabbing an entire state while LA, Chicago, NYC, and the DC/Baltimore area (45 minutes distance) doesn’t cover that much landscape.   I think it’s a little unfair to do that and back your argument.   Chicago still leads with city talent currently and even if you look back into their history they maybe #1.    

[top prospectParticipant]

 Good debate. List your cities top 5 players either here or on a new thread

[top prospectParticipant]

 Good debate. List your cities top 5 players either here or on a new thread

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