UNC basketball signee P.J. Hairston: Duke 'couldn't spell my name right' : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis

CHATHAM, Va. — P.J. Hairston said he seriously considered committing to Florida, Georgetown, Wake Forest and “I hope people don’t hate me when I say this, but Duke” before signing with North Carolina.

The field was narrowed once the Greensboro native and former Dudley star determined it was important for him to stay close to home.

A recurring mistake helped him decide.

“The thing about Duke was, every time they sent me a letter, they wouldn’t spell my name right,” Hairston said. “They would have ‘T.J. Harrison’ or something like that. And I’m like, ‘OK. How can I go here? You can’t even spell my name right.’ It’s only two letters and HAIR and STON. I’m trying to figure out how that’s so hard.”

The 6-foot-4, 216-pound guard-forward played his senior season at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va., and graduated Saturday. He’ll report to Chapel Hill for summer classes beginning in mid-June.

“Don’t get me wrong. Duke is a great school,” Hairston said. “It wasn’t just because they couldn’t spell my name right why I didn’t go there. I don’t feel that I’m a Duke-type player, because they have a crazy system. It’s like mechanical.

“I couldn’t see myself playing at Duke …” he said. “I realized North Carolina is where I wanted to be.”

pragmatist

May 15, 2011 - 12:41 pm EDT

Cameron Crazies are going to have a field day with this one. "T.J. Har-ri-son... TJ Har-ri-son..."

countryboy

May 15, 2011 - 3:16 pm EDT

So true...but they will be 15 points down while doing so:)

rooster8786

May 15, 2011 - 8:31 pm EDT

No, they'll be up by 15 and heading for the exits like they do at the dean dume

CB58

May 15, 2011 - 8:54 pm EDT

maybe the cameron crazies should be more worried about how to lose their virginity!! I mean with a partner!!

BlueDial

May 15, 2011 - 3:17 pm EDT

My God, I hope the Heels go down in flames this year if only for the prospect of not having to read garbage like this every Sunday.

May 15, 2011 - 8:55 pm EDT

you mean like Dook did against Arizona?

carlbjr

May 17, 2011 - 4:23 pm EDT

you mean like unc did against my Duke boys in the ACC championship game and the way unc did against kentucky in the NCAA tournament LOL!!! because the fact of the matter is the closer you get to winning a championship and not actually winning it,the more that loss hurts,at least they got a t-shirt for their efforts LOL!!!

luvdukeblue

May 17, 2011 - 5:54 pm EDT

ROFL. MR Barnes ( who bragged that Duke would not beat UNC in the four years he was at UNC ( like he really plans on staying 4 years) P. J. sounds like another Barnes who was proven wrong 2 out of 3 games last year. Let us see what happens after the season is played....Personally with the talent Duke has coming in I really don't think we need P. J. anyways!!!!

eduguytoo

May 15, 2011 - 8:38 pm EDT

I find it darned refreshing that a college basketball recruit, Carolina-signed or otherwise, can actually spot something that's misspelled. If P.J. can't make it in basketball, there's an opening for him at the N&R.

dmil

May 17, 2011 - 1:58 pm EDT

He probably can't spell his own name, that's why he's going to UNC. He can get the football tutors to help him!

Weasel

May 17, 2011 - 3:22 pm EDT

As usual, the Duke fans are rude and arrogant. Too bad that they have not received proper training in the fundamentals of life.

May 17, 2011 - 5:57 pm EDT

Duke fans are not rude just " MATTER OF FACT " If P. J. is such a scholar why is he having to report to summer school in June? His grades probably would not get him into Duke and that is the reason if the truth be know as to why he chose UNC over Duke. Duke did not really need or want him anyway with the talent we have coming in.

farsider

May 17, 2011 - 3:27 pm EDT

Let's just wait and see who can talk smack AFTER our games. I can spell my own name, but I've met some Dookies who can't spell theirs. I live in the Bull City, and love it here, and one of the favorite thngs I've seen is a beat up old truck with a "Duke" sticker, a Confederate Stars and Bars flag, and a "get 'er done" sticker. I think he was actually a State grad.

May 17, 2011 - 4:14 pm EDT

you know on the big scale of things this article about Hairston does'nt mean anything,it's not gonna deside the outcome of the games between the extremely loaded 2011-2012 Duke Blue Devils and the Unc "look good on paper but can't get it done when it counts"Tarheel Goats,the "DOMINANCE" of Duke in the ACC will continue on again next season for the 10 of the last 13 years ACC CHAMPIONS,and for the record Duke did'nt need Hairston,this Duke squad will be more loaded and more overall talented than any Duke team before it,do your research Haters the facts are there,GO DUKE!!!!!

May 17, 2011 - 5:48 pm EDT

This is almost to absurd to comment on but here goes. Why is he reporting to summer school in June? Sounds to me like he may not have had the grades to get into Duke. Last year it was Harrison Barnes running his trap making his brags that " in his 4 years at UNC Duke would not win a game + Coach K looked like a rat. Well, it looks to me like he got his BUTT caught in the " RAT"S TRAP" 2 times during the season, lol. P. J. you go on over to the Tar Holes we did not want you at Duke anyway!!!!!!

May 17, 2011 - 7:02 pm EDT

i agree with everything you've said luvdukeblue,because simply put,it's all the truth,not like the over hyped, pumped up ,unproven ,claiming things you have'nt accomplished unc fans do,unc fans have'nt had anything to bragg about since the 2008-2009 season,the major difference between Duke and unc is consistancey in winning on a big game championship level,that's when Duke rises to the occassion more times than most teams,including the unc goats,and as for me personally and being a hugh Duke fan,i can't hardly wait to see the 2011-2012 Duke Blue Devils hit the court,this Duke team will be able to beat you and win in so many different ways,half court,uptempo,inside or outside it's not gonna matter..........GO DUKE!!!!

beachrat

May 18, 2011 - 9:09 pm EDT

You are delusional to think that Duke will be this awesome team! UNC hasn't accomplished anything since 2008-2009 huh that's only 2 years ago dipshit. Duke will be good they usually are BUT you can't really believe Duke will be better than UNC! Besides I have lived here for 38 yrs all my life and never understood how people here could root for a team that caters to the north with enrollment and most that graduate go back up north to lead successful lives UP NORTH! But those same duke fans will then talk thrash about the north and the people that live there. The point is most duke fans here in NC have never been to duke or probably where duke campus is in Durham.

May 18, 2011 - 11:02 pm EDT

if anybodys' delusional it's you goat back rider {beachrat},you did'nt read a misprint,everything i said was based on facts,Duke will be a great team and yes i do believe they wil be better than unc in overall talent,Duke will definately be a lot better than unc at the guard positions Austin Rivers{who i believe is even better than Kyrie, which is sayin' lot} Seth Curry,Andre Dawkins,Thyler Thorton and Quinn Cook will dominate in the back court in the 2011-2012 season and at the forward positions Alex Murphy,Micheal Gbinije and more than likely Deandre Daniels will do just fine,throw in the combination of MP3, Miles,Mason and Marshall Plumblee down in the low post and that gives Coach K a lot of size defensively and a lot of scoring combos in the post,which still leaves Ryan Kelly and Josh Hairston,9 players are over 6 ft 6 and 4 players are 6ft 10 to 7 ft tall,so size, speed, talent and great depth,this Duke team will have it all,and that north or south bullshit you were talking about,i could care less about,i don't care where the players are from as long as that have on that Duke basketball jersey,only ignorant rednecks think like that,and for the record i've been here 43 years and i have been to Duke on a couple of occassions,including the back to back championship seasons,now how about trying to bark up a tree you can climb the next time because you don't have enough ammonition for me on this subject matter

May 19, 2011 - 2:50 pm EDT

Wow, you have proved my point. If you believe the plumlees are the answer then UNC will be just fine!

May 19, 2011 - 8:52 pm EDT

with everything that i addressed on my post about Duke and how good they would be and why in 2011-2012,you mean the only thing you could pull out your ass was the Plumblees,OMG!!!you've got to be a tarheel fan because all of you have the same problem with denial to the truth when it comes to Duke, even though it's slapping you right dead in your face,please get help for that goatback,..OH my bad,i mean beachrat,i realize it's been a issue for you goat fans for many years now,how about you being one of the first to break the cycle lol!!!!.....and i proved your point,yeah right,i begg to differ

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