The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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20 ■ THE WOLFPACKER TRACKING THE PACK NC State redshirt sophomore center DJ Funderburk was the mystery man in the Wolfpack's class of 2018. That happens after redshirting a year at Ohio State and then being off the national radar at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Fla. The Wolfpack had a strong connection with Funderburk during his recruiting process — former NC State assistant A.W. Hamilton, who was his head coach at Chatham (Va.) Hargrave Military Academy. Funderburk was ranked No. 77 overall in the country in the class of 2016 after a one-year stint at Hargrave Military, and signed with Ohio State. After leaving OSU, he averaged 11.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game at Northwest Florida State College, and then made his way to Raleigh. Through 28 games this season, Funderburk was averag - ing 8.6 points and 4.0 rebounds in 19.3 minutes per out- ing while shooting 55.4 percent from the floor. The Cleveland native recently took some time with The Wolfpacker to discuss his first year at NC State. Do you ever feed off the crowd energy when you come in off the bench? "Most definitely. When I come in the game, I can hear the crowd starts cheering. That's always a good feeling. At the end of the day, though, the crowd factor is not something I play for. "When Coach calls my name, I try to go in there and give it everything I've got." How have you adapted to playing center this season? "I think I have adjusted to it a lot. As far as playing the true center spot, I'm pretty sure a lot of people can see that I'm playing out of position. Whatever we have to do for the team win, I'm fine with it. I don't care what I have to do." What is the difference playing at NC State compared to your two previous stops? "I might have had a little more freedom to do things on my own. At this high level and this caliber of opponents and how we play in his [Kevin Keatts] system, everything we do is for a purpose." How did you react to being redshirted at Ohio State? "At the time, it was after the second game. The first game I didn't play, and like any freshman, I was upset and kind of showed it a little bit. We played North Carolina Central in the second game at home, after we had played Navy. Coach [Thad] Matta brought me to the office about an hour before the game. He said 'We have Marc Loving, and we have Keita [Bates-Diop]. We have a really good team. You are a good piece, but we want you to redshirt.' "He asked, 'What do you think about that?' I said, 'Whatever you think is the best decision for me and my future. I'll just run with it.'" Will ending up with three years of eligibility at NC State due to that redshirt year be a huge deal? "Yes, and I respect Coach Matta for that. Instead of playing me two minutes a game, he redshirted me. It helped my future." What lessons did you take away from Ohio State? "Just being a freshman under all the senior guys, and learning from their leadership. I am just trying to take some of their traits and to bring it to this team for the younger guys, like I was taught." What has the adjustment from Northwest Florida State College been like? "The ACC is the premier league, in my opinion, in D-I college basketball. I'm trying to make the most of my second chance. I'm just trying to do everything in my power to help my team win. If I have to rebound, I have to rebound. If I have to cheer my team on from the bench, that's what I have to do. I've just got to help my team out." How often do you get asked if you are related to former NBA and Ohio State player Lawrence Funderburke, even though your last names are spelled differently? "I've been getting that since the third grade. In fourth and fifth grade, when I was playing my first year in AAU, they had my name spelled wrong. The coach didn't even ask. He just put the 'e' on the end. I think I still have that jersey. I actually met Lawrence Funderburk my freshman year. I didn't ask him if we were related. I asked 'Have people been asking you if you are related to me?' He said that by being in Ohio, he knew about me, but he didn't know who I was." What motivates you? "Besides my family, my teammates. We all just have a great bond, and we all just try to come together and complete one goal at the end of every game." — Jacey Zembal Getting To Know: Redshirt Sophomore Center DJ Funderburk Funderburk averaged 8.6 points and 4.0 rebounds in 19.3 minutes per outing over NC State's first 28 contests this season. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN The Wolfpacker staff has enjoyed interacting with various guests on their podcast every Tuesday around 12:30 p.m. at Amedeo's Italian Restaurant in Raleigh. The podcast is always available to listen to on TheWolfpacker.com, iTunes and most every- where else podcasts can be downloaded. Here are some excerpts from NC State Hall of Famer Lou Pucillo, who played basketball for the Wolfpack from 1956-59. The 5-9 point guard from Philadelphia was named the ACC's Athlete of the Year and Men's Basketball Player of the Year in 1959. The 83-year-old was a guest Feb. 19: How have you enjoyed your retirement years? "Basically, I have been retired since 2002, so I'm on my 17th year, and I usually go to the Y three times a week and do about six miles. It isn't any - thing competitive, but I just exercise and listen to great music like Perry Como or Dean Martin, Barry Manilow and Barbra Streisand. "I'll get a steam bath and a rub down, and then I'll go home and drink Gentleman Jack, have a nice dinner and go to bed at 9 p.m. I do that three times a week, and I play golf on Tuesday's and Thursday's and hit golf balls on Saturday. "I have two grandchildren that play basketball now, and I can't shoot from three feet. I can show them the follow through. One time I made a basket right there at Reynolds from one foul line to the basket. Now I can't shoot it three feet." What created the pipeline from Philadelphia to Raleigh back then? "Coach [Everett] Case like strong, hard, rebound - ing, defensive players. I wasn't that. Vic Bubas and eventually Lee Terrell, who was from New Jersey, wanted to get more of a point guard guy than a two guard. "Vic Bubas happened to be in Philadelphia trying to recruit some All-American named Joe Ryan, who went to St. Joseph's and eventually Villanova. "Coach Bubas eventually saw me play when I was in prep school against the Philadelphia Pharmacy Deaf and Mute team. I didn't know he was in the stands. The game before that, I played against the Westchester freshman team and scored about 35 points. I averaged 25 points a game, and I finally matured. Six weeks later because of Coach Bubas, Everett Case offered me as my one and only bas - ketball scholarship. "Thirty-some years later, Vic Bubas was introduc- ing me at the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. He read the letter that he had written to Everett Case during my recruiting. "He said, 'Dear Coach, there is a kid here that I just saw play against the Philadelphia Pharmacy for the Deaf and Mute. He's 5-feet-8 and I think he can play at NC State. Coach, if you take him, you are going to have to change your way of coaching.' Coach Case at that time was winning 81 percent of his games." PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS LOU PUCILLO