The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1190316
JANUARY 2020 ■ 19 TRACKING THE PACK T he Wolfpacker staff has enjoyed getting to know various guests on its podcast nearly every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. inside of Amedeo's Italian Restaurant in Raleigh. The show is always available to listen to on TheWolfpacker.com, iTunes and most everywhere else podcasts can be down- loaded. Here are some excerpts from when recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw of Phe- nom Hoop Report, a North Carolina high school basketball expert, appeared on the show Nov. 20 to talk about how NC State closed out its hardwood recruiting in such impressive fashion with the additions of three-star guard Shakeel Moore and five- star forward Josh Hall, both in-state pros- pects, in mid-November: What do you think of NC State's class of 2020? "It's awesome to see a school coming in at a high caliber and recruiting the state, putting a fence around the backyard. All four of these [in-state] players are ranked in the top 10 in the state of North Carolina, traditionally known as the hoops state. And then past that, three of them are in the top four players in the class. I think that it adds a well-rounded nature. "You have two guards [in Cam Hayes and Moore]. Keatts has shown he loves to play two point guards, two guys that can initiate offense at the same time. He's got a playmaking wing, a shot-making wing with size in Josh Hall, and then has a big, brutish type of post player with Nick Far- rar. That's a mismatch problem. There's a lot of matchup nightmares within this group that I feel will really play well to what Keatts does. "It's also great to see that these high- level guys are staying home. A lot of times we have the high-level guys who aren't going to Duke or UNC or whatever the case go out of state. [Five-star] Isaiah Todd this year, he's going to Michigan. A lot of other ones have gone out of state and had great success, have gone deep in the tour- nament on runs. "Keatts is making it a priority to keep them home. That's great to see North Car- olina guys [staying home], and also when they line up on the court it means a little bit more. They're playing for their home state. It adds a little bit more to it. The fan base gets more into it. Everything good happens when you keep the good players home." How have you seen Josh Hall evolve? "It's been unbelievable to see the growth Josh has had. He's always had skill. His dad is seven foot and played at East Caro- lina University. Josh kind of always had the build of somebody who looked like he was going grow, but that awkward high- waisted, short-torso type frame, and then he stretched out. "He started off at Oak Hill Academy [a basketball powerhouse in Mouth of Wilson, Va.], and then last year he trans- ferred back to Moravian Prep [in Hickory, N.C.]. He took an extra year, in a reclass year, and within that year, his growth just expanded immensely. He went from an unranked player to a five-star. "Now there's actually talk — and I'm sure this is going to make NC State fans cringe — of him possibly foregoing col- lege all together and possibly doing some NBA Draft stuff as well. That's how much he's come, because at this time last year he wasn't even ranked. "That's the type of player that he is. He's 6-foot-9 and has that pro game. He can shoot the ball with range, can put it on the floor and can play multiple positions, whether in the high post or the wing. He's got great length and defends. He's a full, complete player who's still getting better. He is still slender and filling out his frame. There's just a world of upside for him. "The thing is, he's always had the skill set, even when he was 6-2, 6-3 as a fresh- man and 6-5 as a sophomore. He always had the ball handling and the shooting ability. Now he's 6-9, athletic as all get out and has a killer type of mentality with that skill set." What was it about Shakeel Moore that helped NC State wrap him up quickly? "Shakeel Moore is vastly underrated as a prospect. Not only that, he's going to instantly come in and NC State fans and Kevin Keatts alike are going to fall in love with him. He's just got that it factor to him. "He led the EYBL [Nike Elite Youth Basketball League] in steals this year. He was at the top of NBPA Top 100 Camp in steals this year. He's an elite defender, a game-changing defender. He's the type of player who doesn't even have to touch the ball on offense and he changes the complexion of the game completely 100 percent on defense. That'll fit very nicely in what Keatts does. "He's a strong, sturdy guard and he's got elbow-above-the-rim athleticism as well. He'll have some high-flying plays. What he's really done this summer is shored up his offensive efficiency. He's shooting the ball at an incredibly high clip right now. He's always been able to attack downhill and get to the basket and everything, now he's shooting the ball an incredibly high clip. "He's a lefty. He's about 5-foot-11 and built like a strong safety. Defensively is where he makes his mark. He and Cam Hayes will make a very nice pairing to- gether because they can both play on or off the ball. They can both score and facilitate, and they can both do some things in that manner." ■ PODCAST H I G H L I G H T S Recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw of Phenom Hoop Report on NC State signee Josh Hall: "He's 6-9, athletic as all get out and has a killer type of mentality with that skill set." PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM