Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Thomas De Thaey leaves N.C. State program

Harrison Barnes, Thomas de Thaey

North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes is guarded by North Carolina State’s Thomas de Thaey (13) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012. North Carolina won 86-74. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

AP

We’ve recently heard about a rash of transfers and players leaving teams, both in the summer and early in this season, and most were for selfish reasons, centering around playing time.

This is one player leaving a team that I have absolutely no problem with.

North Carolina State forward Thomas De Thaey announced via Twitter that he was leaving the program to tend to his ailing father back in his native Belgium.

De Thaey averaged 1.2 points and 1.2 rebounds in his freshman season and was averaging 5 points and 2 rebounds for the Wolfpack through three games played this season.

The 6-8, 244-pound De Thaey will be a loss in that he provided sound depth in the post and was a solid threat from deep, hitting 3-of-7 three-point tries this season.

But you can’t argue with a man going home to help out his family. With all the recent transfers after a matter of games, and while it’s under difficult circumstances, it’s good to see a player leaving school for a responsible reason, not just to “pursue other opportunities”.

Here’s to hoping things work out for De Thaey and his family.

David Harten is the editor of The Backboard Chronicles. You can follow him on Twitter at @David_Harten.