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Johnny Jones, Mark Gottfried Prove Coaching Lottery Picks Without Results Can Have Dire Consequences

March 7, 2017

NEW YORK — Johnny Jones and Mark Gottfried are living proof that coaching NBA lottery picks without producing results can have dire consequences.

Jones coached the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft last season in Ben Simmons. Now he’s reportedly about to lose his job at LSU after failing to make the NCAA Tournament last year with Simmons — and this year with a solid, if unspectacular, roster.

On the same day the Jones news was reported by the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Mark Gottfried coached his final game at N.C. State, losing to Clemson in the first round of the ACC Tournament at Barclays Center.

Like Jones, Gottfried recruited and coached a projected Top-5 pick in point guard Dennis Smith Jr., who is headed to the NBA Draft after one non-NCAA Tournament season with the Wolfpack, as first reported on FanRagSports.com. (N.C. State has a second projected NBA pick in big man Omer Yurtseven, now projected in the 2018 Draft by DraftExpress.com.)

Georgia Tech, N.C. State, North Carolina

UNC’s Jackson, N.C. State’s Smith Jr., Georgia Tech’s Pastner Take Home ACC Hardware

March 5, 2017

author: Adam Zagoria

North Carolina junior wing Justin Jackson, the best player on the ACC’s best regular-season team, was named the ACC Player of the Year on Sunday.

Jackson, a junior from Tomball, Texas, was the choice of 24 members of the voting panel (15 head coaches, selected media) that cast ballots for this year’s postseason honors. Wake Forest’s John Collins placed second with 15 votes.

“It’s an honor and a blessing by my God,” said Jackson. “My teammates are a huge part of this award and I can’t thank my coaches and them enough.

“Justin has been really good from day one,” UNC coach Roy Williams said. “To have the kind of success shooting the ball and making big plays in key situations like he did against Duke is a credit to him and the amount of work he put in to improve his game. We went through a very difficult ACC schedule and Justin gave our players a lot of confidence knowing that he would consistently be putting up 18-20 points, about five rebounds and some key assists each game. He listened to our coaching staff last spring about how to improve as a player and was determined to get better and stronger, which through his hard work and sweat, he is now reaping the benefits.

Coaching moves, N.C. State

N.C. State’s Mark Gottfried Won’t Return Next Season

February 16, 2017

author: Adam Zagoria

N.C. State coach Mark Gottfried won't return

N.C. State

Reports: Mark Gottfried in Serious Trouble at N.C. State

February 15, 2017

author: Adam Zagoria

N.C. State coach Mark Gottfried is in serious trouble and could be out as soon as this week, barring a major turnaround, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Goodman.

Mark Armstrong of ABC11 in North Carolina also reported that the school has made the decision to fire Gottfried, 53, after the season. Gottfried is 122-81 in five-plus seasons at N.C. State.

N.C. State has already begun reaching out to potential replacements, The Sporting News reported, with ESPN adding that Dayton’s Archie Miller, an N.C. State alumnus, would be a top target but is unlikely to take the job.

“My focus is 100 percent on UNC tonight and finding a way to get on a late run to make our fifth NCAA Tournament in six years,” Gottfried told ZAGSBLOG by text on Wednesday morning.

Breaking News, N.C. State

N.C. State’s Omer Yurtseven to Miss 9 Games

October 31, 2016

author: Adam Zagoria

The NCAA ruled that Turkish star Omer Yurtseven must sit the first nine games of N.C. State’s season and pay $1,000 to a charity of his choice.

He will be eligible to return Dec. 22 against McNeese.

The news is a huge development for the Wolfpack, which landed the 7-footer in May when he chose them over Utah and Syracuse. He scored 91 points and grabbed 28 rebounds during a Turkish U-18 basketball game in May and is projected as the No. 21 pick in the 2017 Draft per DraftExpress.com.

“The NCAA conducted a thoughtful analysis of Omer’s situation,” NC State Director of Athletics Debbie Yow said. “Their staff exhibited considerable concern for fairness and for the welfare of this conscientious young man in their decision.”