Top NC State recruit Rodney Purvis remains in limbo as classes start

The most high-profile recruit in NC State's decorated class had a good reason for not going to any classes Thursday on the first day of fall semester.

"I can't attend them!" he tweeted.

Purvis has not been cleared by the NCAA's eligibility center and remains in academic and athletic limbo while the NCAA conducts an extended review of his high school, Upper Room Christian Academy. If he attends classes while the review is ongoing but does not receive clearance to play, Purvis could have to pay tuition and room and board for the semester.

There's no time table for when the NCAA will decide whether Purvis will be eligible to play this year or not, but the assumption at NC State is a ruling on whether the 6-4 wing passed his core classes should come fairly soon. The Wolfpack have to hope the NCAA makes its decision by Aug. 29 because that's the final day students can enroll in a course or add one with a professor's permission.

NC State is not the only potential elite team who could be without one of its top recruits for some or all of next season. The NCAA is investigating UCLA's Shabazz Muhammad to see if payments his family accepted are extra benefits and Providence's Ricardo Ledo may not be academically eligible next season.

If Purvis can't play, it would be a blow to NC State's chances of unseating Duke and North Carolina atop the ACC next season. The return of Lorenzo Brown, Scott Wood and C.J. Leslie and the arrival of the other members of Mark Gottfried's recruiting class still give the Wolfpack a very strong nucleus, but Purvis' slashing and scoring ability make him a unique weapon.

At this point, however, Purvis is at the mercy of the NCAA.

"I just want the chance to play again," he tweeted a few days ago. "Please Lord !!!!!"

Only time will tell if he gets it.