WRAL Sports Fan

North Carolina State University

State's Costner eager to resurrect career

By Jeff Gravley

Oct 14, 2008

Raleigh, N.C. — Brandon Costner, now healthy and more determined, sounded like a player eager to turn his career around after a sophomore season in which his troubles seemed to mirror those of the N.C. State basketball team.

“It wasn’t the Brandon Costner you’re used to seeing. It wasn’t the Brandon Costner I’m used to displaying,” Costner said Tuesday. “I wasn’t healthy but I don’t like making excuses.”

Costner had ongoing knee problems last year. He injured it before the season and twice more during the year.

This year, Costner said, he is healthy again.

“I’m 100 percent. I’ve been 100 percent all summer,” he said. “I’ve been able to work out the entire year. I probably lost about 12 pounds.”

Lowe said Costner appears to have a new attitude in addition to improved health.

“I think I see a committed individual,” Lowe said. “I think I see someone who certainly took last year and learned from it.”

Costner’s impact will be essential for State this season. The Wolfpack finished 15-16 overall and 4-12 in ACC last year despite high expectations coming into the season. State had made a run to the 2007 ACC championship game and then another run in the NIT. And State had freshman center J.J. Hickson joining the team.

But State struggled with injuries at point guard and never found any rhythm as a team. Hickson left for the NBA after averaging 14.8 points per game and senior Gavin Grant averaged 13.1.

“J.J. is a great player and we were lucky to have him the time we did,” Costner said. “But I feel last year we were one-dimensional. We just didn’t have the same continuity we did two years before.”

That was when Brandon Costner was Brandon Coster and NC State played in the ACC championship game.