Leslie Coming Back To Pack

C.J. Leslie is returning to North Carolina State for his junior season, a decision that will make the Wolfpack one of the favorites in the ACC next year.

The 6-foot-8 forward averaged a team-best 14.7 points and was second with 7.3 rebounds per game. 

''I wanted to take my time as much as possible,'' Leslie said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon. ''I knew I had time. It's one of those things you can't help but to think about. I tried to take as much time as I needed and made the best decision for me.''

Leslie helped the Wolfpack (24-13) surge late in the year to reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2006. N.C. State pulled two upsets to advance to the round of 16 before losing a close game to national runner-up Kansas, but the team will return its top four scorers and add three McDonald's All-Americans for coach Mark Gottfried's second season.

''We got a little taste of it last year,'' Leslie said of the attention that came with the NCAA run. ''We took it well. I know I'm going to be ready for it and I expect my teammates to be right there with me.''

Leslie said he was leaning toward returning to school from the start.

''It was a tough decision,'' he said. ''That's a big decision to make for anybody. I 

just figured we started a good thing last year. I might as well finish it.''

The deadline for players to declare early for the NBA draft was April 29.