The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1472609
TRACKING THE PACK 10 ■ THE WOLFPACKER Although NC State basketball coach Kevin Keatts held out the pos- sibility that the Wolfpack could use its last remaining open scholarship for next year, the roster crystalized after a series of decisions in May. The first decision was the last of four transfer additions to the team — Winthrop post player DJ Burns The Rock Hill, S.C., native was the Big South Conference Player of the Year last season after averaging 15 points and 4.3 rebounds while shoot- ing 62.7 percent from the field in 20.6 minutes per game. In four games against Power Five foes Vanderbilt, Washington State, Washington and Mississippi State, the 6-9, 275-pound Burns reached double figures three times and aver- aged 16 points per contest overall. He shot 60 percent in those games. Burns reminds Keatts of Louisiana Tech forward Kenneth Lofton Jr., a 6-7, 275-pounder who had 36 points and 17 rebounds against NC State this past season. "I don't know if there's a better scorer in college basketball than DJ Burns, when you look at what he was able to do in 20 minutes of play … we played against Lofton this year, and Lofton really hurt us, a guy who is physical, can score," Keatts said. Burns redshirted at Tennessee in 2019 before transferring to Winthrop. In 2020, Burns was the Big South Conference Freshman of the Year and second-team all-league after averaging 11.9 points and 4.1 boards per contest. The following season, he was an honor- able mention All-Big South choice when he averaged 10.1 points and 3.4 rebounds a game. Burns will have two seasons of eligi- bility left at NC State if he elects to use his super senior year option. He joins La Salle forward/guard Jack Clark, Ole Miss guard Jarkel Joiner and Utah post player Dusan Mahorcic as NC State's transfer portal additions. Clark also has two seasons remaining if he wants, while Joiner and Mahor- cic will be using their last year. "We wanted to go out there and get bigger, stronger and older, and I think we did," Keatts said. NC State also welcomes back so p h o m o re g u a rd Te rq u av i o n Smith, who was rated the No. 22 prospect available in the NBA Draft by ESPN.com but elected to return to school for a second season with the Wolfpack. Smith averaged 16.3 points per game and was named to the ACC All-Freshman team after he set a school record for most threes made by a freshman with 96. That was also the third-most 3-pointers in a season overall for a NC State player, trailing the 104 that Scott Wood made in 2013 and Rodney Monroe had in 1991. Smith shot 36.9 percent over- all from long range, and he was NC State's leading scorer in ACC games at 18.3 points. He shot 40.1 percent on 3-pointers in league action (73 of 182). In ESPN.com's way-too-early mock draft for 2023, Smith was slot- ted as the No. 13 overall pick to the Atlanta Hawks. "I've had a lot of guys who went through the process during my entire career," Keatts noted, "when I was an assistant coach, when I was at UNCW and now at NC State. Terquavion and I probably had the best communica- tion of anybody that I've ever dealt with. "He had a small group. It was just him and his dad, and then he had an NCAA-certified agent that we would have some conversations with." One player who did decide to turn pro was redshirt sophomore guard Dereon Seabron. After electing to stay in the NBA Draft, Seabron signed a two-way contract with the New Orleans Pelicans after going unselected. Seabron was second-team All-ACC and the league's Most Improved Player last season. He is the first Wolfpacker to win the latter honor. Seabron led NC State in scoring (17.3 points), rebounding (8.2 boards), assists (102) and steals (44). His 12 double-dou- bles were the second most in the ACC. Signing a two-way contract means he will split time between the NBA G-League and the NBA. — Matt Carter MEN'S BASKETBALL ROSTER COMES TOGETHER FOR 2022-23 Coach Kevin Keatts is eager to welcome transfer post player DJ Burns to the program. "I don't know if there's a better scorer in college basketball," Keatts said of the Rock Hill, S.C., native. PHOTO BY ETHAN HYMAN/NEWS AND OBSERVER NC State Basketball Roster For 2022-23 No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Year Hometown 0 Terquavion Smith G 6-4 160 So. Greenville, N.C. 1 Jarkel Joiner G 6-1 180 R-Sr. Abbeville, Miss. 4 LJ Thomas G Fr. Plant City, Fla. 5 Jack Clark G/F 6-8 200 R-Sr. Cheltenham, Pa. 10 Breon Pass G 6-0 175 So. Reidsville, N.C. 11 Dusan Mahorcic F 6-10 225 Sr. Belgrade, Serbia 14 Casey Morsell G 6-3 200 Sr. Ft. Washington, Md. 21 Ebenezer Dowuona F 6-11 225 Jr. Accra, Ghana 23 Greg Gantt F 6-8 215 R-Jr. Fayetteville, N.C. 24 Ernest Ross F 6-9 190 So. Alachua, Fla. 30 DJ Burns F 6-9 275 R-Sr. Rock Hill, S.C.