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NC State Basketball: Jalen Lecque marks first loss of 2019-20 campaign

By Holden Walter-Warner

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 18: Jalen Lecque #13 of Team Stanley walks on the court prior to the game against Team Ramsey during the SLAM Summer Classic 2018 at Dyckman Park on August 18, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 18: Jalen Lecque #13 of Team Stanley walks on the court prior to the game against Team Ramsey during the SLAM Summer Classic 2018 at Dyckman Park on August 18, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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North Carolina State Basketball will likely be without top recruit Jalen Lecque after the four-star prospect declared for the 2019 NBA Draft.

Jalen Lecque appeared to be the best basketball commit for  North Carolina State Basketball in years. Now, he may never play a game in Raleigh.

On Saturday, the four-star guard declared for the 2019 NBA Draft. Reports earlier in the month recognized the likelihood of this moment, diminishing the surprise of Lecque’s decision.

Lecque will be making the rare jump from high school to the pros, a leap largely eliminated by the NBA’s “one-and-done” rule. The rule does not apply to Lecque because he will turn 19 years old prior to the draft and will be at least one year removed from high school.

Just because he’s declared for the draft doesn’t mean Lecque has to stay there. He retains the ability to withdraw from the draft over the next month, just like any other prospective prospect. It’s unclear if he’ll do so; he’s currently the No. 58 prospect in NBADraft.net’s latest Big Board.

If he does remain in the draft, it will be a big blow to Kevin Keatts and the Wolfpack. As the No. 33 prospect in the country (according to 247 Sports), he was the highest-ranked prospect committed to the Wolfpack since 7th-ranked Dennis Smith Jr. rocked North Carolina State’s world in 2016.

North Carolina State was just a win or two shy of making Keatts 2-for-2 on NCAA Tournament bids in his Wolfpack tenure. Instead, they went to the NIT, where they advanced to the quarterfinals before seeing their season come to an end.

With a good crop of returning players, the Wolfpack appeared to be in good shape to make it back to the Big Dance in 2020. But last year’s second-best scorer Markell Johnson is still exploring the NBA Draft and now Lecque could be a goner as well, increasing the pressure on C.J. Bryce and Braxton Beverly.

Next. ACC recruiting needs. dark

Jalen Lecque’s ultimate decision over the next month looms large for NC State as they prepare to suffer a big loss before the first games are played.

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