The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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MAY/JUNE 2020 ■ 45 It was perfect timing for both the Wolf- pack and Gibson, a 6-10, 190-pound three- star prospect according to Rivals.com. Four days after the former Demon Deacons signee reopened his recruitment, NC State had a scholarship become available when Hall announced he would skip college and remain in the NBA Draft. "Coach Keatts and Coach [James] John- son first reached out to my high school coach," Gibson noted. "Seeing that Josh Hall said he was sticking to the draft, I just saw the opportunity. I reached out to the coaches and they were happy to have me." With a newly developed outside jumper to complement his near-seven-foot frame, Gib- son received interest from several Power Five schools after he reopened his recruitment. He narrowed it down to a short list that included fellow ACC programs Syracuse and Miami, before ultimately picking the Wolfpack. The local product was already familiar with NC State after attending a summer team camp with Apex High at Reynolds Coliseum during Keatts' first year in Ra- leigh. He transferred from Apex High after his sophomore year to cross-town Grace Christian, where he averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds per game as a senior. "We often use those words, 'He is oozing with upside and potential,' but he really is," said Rick Lewis, a recruiting analyst and founder of Phenom Hoop Report. "He could be an even better college player than a high school player because at the high school level he was just trying to figure it all out." Expected to play a supporting role as a freshman while he continues to learn the game, Gibson is viewed as a player that could develop into an eventual starter as his body matures at the college level. "Once Coach Keatts and the staff get done with him, I think he has the chance to be an all-conference player," said DeShan- non Morris, Gibson's coach at Grace Chris- tian. "I don't think there's a better place he could have ended up." The Grace Christian standout is already fa- miliar with most of the other guys in the class despite his late signing. He played alongside Hayes in the North Carolina Private School East-West All-Star game and competed against Dowuona on the AAU circuit. "He is a good athlete who can run the floor, has range on his jump shot and also has the ability to develop into an elite rim protector," Keatts said in a school release. "Most impor- tantly, he is a solid young man who will make a positive impact on the NC State campus." ■ for extensive NC State recruiting coverage DAILY TEAM COVERAGE EXPERT ANALYSIS RECRUITING SCOOP PROSPECT VIDEOS EXPERT MESSAGE BOARDS Go behind the scenes with exclusive coverage on the Wolfpack throughout the season. In-depth analysis by our seasoned experts in the field. Breaking news, team and individual rankings, features on every commitment, over 10 years of archived recruiting information. See all of tomorrow's top NC State prospects in action on our top quality prospect videos. Interact with other NC State fans across the country and discuss the state of the Wolfpack. Your No. 1 Resource TheWolfpacker.com TheWolfpacker.com Limited Time Free Trial 60 DAYS *Use Promo Code: PACK60