With the exception of the Tates Locke era at Clemson, and the aftermath of
the Valvano era at N.C. State, any time a player chooses Clemson over N.C.
State, it's an upset. So call it an upset: Clemson
got K.C. Rivers, of Oak Hill.
It's a measure of how Oliver Purnell appears to be shaking things up at
Clemson, building what appears to be a very bright future indeed.
In the past, Clemson had success under Tates Locke, but paid dearly for it,
some odd success here and there with Bill Foster and Clif Ellis beating the
backwoods of South Carolina and Georgia for big men, and with Rick Barnes, who
recruited one really sturdy class and left pretty much when they
did.
But that's about it, and it's a mixed bag. Purnell is a highly
respected coach, and is recruiting extremely well. Give a good coach good
talent, and the result is pretty much a foregone conclusion: Clemson is about to
improve radically.
And UNC may be about to get a commitment from power forward Tyler Hansbrough.