Coveted small forward Maverick Rowan picks NC State

Earlier this summer, N.C. State coach Mark Gottfried said he was worried about his team’s short bench and 3-point shooting. The Wolfpack got help on both fronts Sunday with the commitment of Maverick Rowan.

Rowan, a 6-7, 180-pound small forward, ended a summer of speculation by making his announcement on Twitter. Rowan, one of the best high school shooters in the country, reclassified to the class of 2015 and will be eligible to play for N.C. State this season.

With the departures of guard Trevor Lacey and forward Kyle Washington, N.C. State’s rotation had been shortened to seven players. Since Lacey’s decision to go pro in April, Gottfried and his staff have been able to add freshman wing Shaun Kirk and Rowan unusually late in the recruiting process.

Rowan, ranked as the No. 37 prospect in the class by Scout.com, gives N.C. State another strong outside shooting option to go with West Virginia transfer Terry Henderson.

St. John’s and Louisville had also been pursuing Rowan, who played at Cardinal Gibbons high school in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last season. Rowan had originally committed to Pittsburgh.

This story was originally published August 2, 2015 at 3:59 PM with the headline "Coveted small forward Maverick Rowan picks NC State."