Sidney Lowe To Be Named N.C. State Basketball Coach

RALEIGH, N.C. — After a month-long and highly scrutinized search, it appears that N.C. State has found a head basketball coach. Multiple sources have confirmed to WRAL that former Wolfpack guard Sidney Lowe will be hired as the Pack's new basketball coach.

Contract details are still being worked out, but all indications are that Lowe, currently an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons, will be the next leader of the Wolfpack. Lowe has informed the Pistons that he will be leaving his position there to take the job at N.C. State He is scheduled to be announced as the Pack's head coach at a press conference Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

Lowe would replace Herb Sendek, who left the program to become the head coach at Arizona State University.

The university has contacted several candidates to gauge their interest in being the next Wolfpack coach, including Texas' Rick Barnes, Memphis' John Calipari, West Virginia's John Beilein and ESPN analyst and former UCLA coach Steve Lavin.

Lowe played college basketball at N.C. State under coach Jim Valvano. He earned Final Four All-Tournament team honors while helping lead N.C. State to the 1983 NCAA championship.

"I can tell you there's not a finer person, a better teammate, or a better person for the job," said Mike Warren, who played for the Wolfpack from 1982-85. "At the end of the day it took a month to get him, but we finally got our guy."

Lowe became coach of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves midway through the 1992-93 season, finishing the year with a 13-30 record. The next season, the Timberwolves went 20-62.

On June 1, 2000, Lowe was hired as the head coach of the Vancouver Grizzlies. In two-plus seasons with the team, he led the team to records of 23-59 in both 2000-01 and 2001-02.

Lowe does not have a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year institution, as N.C. State requires of its next coach. Lowe said he is completing his studies this month at St. Paul's College in Virginia.

Lowe and his wife, Melanie, have three children -- Sidney Jr., Lindsey and Lantzen. They have lived in Raleigh during the NBA off-season.

Lowe will remain with the Pistons until their season ends, so many off-season responsibilities will rest on his new assistants. Some well-known names are said to be under consideration for Lowe's staff.

New Orleans head coach Monte Towe was the point guard on the 1974 NC State national championship team. Larry Harris was on Herb Sendek's staff for 10 seasons and followed Sendek to Arizona State. Also, former Wolfpack guard Quintin Jackson could land with Lowe at N.C. State.