Collegiate Times

Right when fans of most college basketball teams turned their eyes to spring football practice, Liberty guard Seth Curry announced his intent to transfer and the rumor mill kicked into overdrive.

Curry, the younger brother of Davidson superstar Stephen and son of Virginia Tech legend Dell, led all freshmen in scoring last season while at Liberty with 20.2 points per game.

In a prepared statement, Curry said the move to transfer "is based on my desire to develop as an athlete to the fullest of my potential and take advantage of new opportunities that may be available to me in a higher-rated conference."

Curry's aspiration to play in a better conference has many fans of the Atlantic Coast Conference hoping for his services.

At 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, Curry possesses the size and strength to play in the ACC, something he did not have when he was recruited out of high school.

Currently known as a lethal outside scorer, Curry can play shooting guard or eventually move to point guard - where his brother Stephen dominated this season.

In games on the road against Virginia and Clemson, Curry scored 26 and 24 points respectively, proving he can play on and excel at the ACC level.

A resident of Charlotte, N.C., many speculate that Curry plans to stay fairly close to home, which still puts most of the ACC in play.

As an NCAA rule, Curry must sit out one season - 2009-10 - before finishing out his final three years of eligibility, so current ACC rosters will look much different in the 2010-11 season when he can finally step foot on the floor.

Wherever Curry eventually lands largely depends on how involved in the offense he wants to be.

No team in the ACC will allow Curry to be a one-man team like at Liberty, but some clubs will provide more opportunity to shine than others.

The teams with the most glaring needs for guard help are North Carolina State and Wake Forest.

State shuffled its point guard rotation all season since nobody emerged as a solid starter, and with no high-powered recruits coming in unless they land No. 1 recruit John Wall, Curry could start immediately once eligible.

The only danger in transferring to State is that head coach Sidney Lowe may not be there by the time he plays. In three seasons as coach of the Wolfpack, Lowe only managed a 51-46 record and a lowly 15-33 conference mark.

Wake Forest also provides a chance for Curry to get immediate playing time. The Demon Deacons showcased a team full of young, talented athletes, but they will all most likely be gone this year or next to the NBA or graduation.

Sophomore guard Gary Clark averaged a meager 2.5 points per game this season, and he is the only contributing guard on the roster that will be left on the team once Curry arrives.

Provided C.J. Harris does not emerge as a star once he gets to campus in the fall, Curry could step in and be the starter at point guard or shooting guard.

The roster at Tech also presents itself as an ideal situation for Curry in 2010-11.

By then, Malcolm Delaney, Dorenzo Hudson and Hank Thorns will all be seniors, limiting the potential playing time of incoming guards Ben Boggs and Erick Green once they begin their collegiate careers as freshmen this coming season.

The Hokies also recently lost a committed star point guard recruit, Lamont Jones, so the need at guard in the future will be there.

Curry could potentially contribute as a shooter a year-and-a-half from now and then lead the team for his junior and senior seasons.

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