Wolfpack fans prepared to embrace their newest love on Wednesday after Raleigh Word of God's C.J. Leslie announced that he will sign with N.C. State next week.
The 6-foot-8 basketball forward is a homegrown talent who is ranked among the best high school players in the country.
His pedigree as a high school player is unquestioned after making the All-America teams that mean the most and earning berths in the nation's two most prestigious high school all-star games, the McDonald's All American game and the Jordan Classic.
He is a spectacular talent with his YouTube viewings topping a million.
Leslie turned down the likes of traditional powers Kentucky and Connecticut to make the short trip to West Raleigh, a trip he has made numerous times in recent years as he attended Wolfpack games and built relationships with State players past and present.
Leslie will be joining a strong recruiting class that includes Marietta (Ga.) Walton guard Ryan Harrow, a top 25 player who is a close friend of Leslie.
State also has signed guard Lorenzo Brown of Hargrave Military Academy, one of the top prep school players in the country.
"C.J. balances the class," recruiting expert Dave Telep said. "State is bringing in a lot of firepower in the backcourt, and now it is getting one of the best athletes in the whole country.
"C.J. can finish. He can run the floor and he can really go to the basket."
Leslie had committed to N.C. State after his freshman year at Holly Springs High but later told coach Sidney Lowe that he couldn't honor that pledge, not at that time anyway, and that he wanted to go through the recruiting process.
Leslie went through the process, handled hundreds of telephone calls and various correspondence.
He didn't seek the spotlight through the process, kept his thoughts pretty much to himself and eventually pared his list to State, Kentucky and Connecticut.
He ultimately decided Wednesday to stick with State.
"I'm going to N.C. State," Leslie said. "It is a great school, and we can be good there. And obviously, Coach Lowe is a great coach."
Leslie visited Connecticut last weekend, and Wednesday morning said he was close to making a decision. By early afternoon, he was ready to talk over his decision with his mother.
"It was really up for grabs. It was really close with the other two schools even this morning," Leslie said in the late afternoon.
Leslie had listened to all the pitches, seen the fame that surrounded former Word of God teammate John Wall at Kentucky, thought through his college decision time after time.
"But State was there all the time. State was always in the picture," he said.
Telep, the national recruiting director for the Scout.com Web site, said keeping Leslie home is important for the area.
"We've had some players leave and go on to great things," Telep said. "P.J. Tucker and John Wall come to mind. To keep one of the greatest athletes in the country here is big."
Leslie is the highest rated player to commit to Lowe's Wolfpack. J.J. Hickson, who was ranked No. 13 in 2007, played one year at State before entering the NBA.
Leslie may not be the last recruit to join the Wolfpack.
Tashawn Mabry, Rocky Mount's all-time leading scorer and the most valuable player in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A final, said Wednesday night, "State is way out front. It is my leader."
Minutes after committing to State, Leslie said, "I talked with Tashawn yesterday. It's his turn next."
