The North Carolina State Wolfpack have the most dynamic player in the country in skywalking David Thompson.  After a freshman season where the Wolf Pack were deemed ineligible for post season play (and were not allowed to play on TV) due to their recruitment of this David, last year Sloan’s prized recruit showed the country what the future of basketball looks like.  Thompson has taken college basketball by storm with his high-flying antics and is the main reason it decided to reverse their decision on outlawing dunking.  Good choice!  Thompson can flat dunk from anywhere and seriously outleaps much bigger men for boards (or tips) on a regular basis.  He has a great mid-range game and in the open court is spectacular.  His defense is almost as good as his offense and the Wolfpack might have a chance of overtaking the hated Tar Heels if he can get a bit more support around him. 

The Goliath to David in Raleigh is fellow junior Tom Burleson.  This seven four gawky looking big man is almost unstoppable in the post with his baby hooks and soft touch.  He is their rim protector and allows his teammates to take chances and trap often.  He is a bit skinny though and does get pushed around some but his presence in the middle is almost as important as Thompson’s.  Not really but it sounded good! 

Coach Storming Norman Sloan has got many options to suit up next to these two studs including a plethora of point guards led by seniors Dick Dickey, Lou Pucillo, Vic Molodet, Junior Monte Towe and sophomore Sidney Lowe.  There are more coming but for now Towe (of that super junior class) seems to be the front runner as he has bonded with Thompson (they do this thing where Towe throws the ball up to Thompson who then throws it through the basket that they have affectionately dubbed the alley oop) and Burleson, who also gets his fair share of the diminutive (5’7) point guard’s passes.

 Seniors Ronnie Shavlik and John Richter and Junior Kenny Carr will battle for minutes at the four while flexible sophomore Thurl Bailey (who is really a flex four) can play anywhere off the bench.  Fellow sophomore Chris Washburn might be the most talented post player on the team and was another coup for this recruiting staff.  At 6’11 he can run like a wing and has more moves then Burleson but has to become more consistent and stay on the court as he missed half of his first year in Raleigh.  If he can do that then watch out as this kid can do it all on the court and a front line with him playing next to Burleson in a ‘twin towers’ is scary as hell especially if you are the undersized Tar Heels. 

There is also a solid group of wings waiting in line as well behind the great one as fellow junior Hawkeye Whitney is first in line.  A terrific athlete in his own merit, Whitney is the best backup in the league but might be losing minutes this year as Sloan looks for the missing ingredient on this team, perimeter shooting.  Two sophomore JV studs Vinnie Del Negro and Derek Whittenburg have shown the potential to hit long-range bombs and will get their ‘shot’ to lining up next to the Skywalker which means many open looks with all the attention he gets.

 Thompson will play both the two and the three (Lawrence Welk anyone) and Sloan will slide in his sidekicks accordingly with the likely starter at least for the first part of the year being Senior Sam Ranzino who was the offensive stud before Thompson arrived.   But whoever fills this role might well decide if the Tar Heels are finally took down in the ACC.  The Wolf Pack might not be as loaded overall as the Tar Heels but they do without question have the best player in this league (and perhaps any league for that matter) and if Sloan can figure out the best options next to him this team can go far!