Even before Rivals.com national basketball recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw heard the vibes that three-star guard Liron “LJ” Thomas from Bull City Prep in Durham might be committing to NC State, Shaw figured that Thomas would be a good fit for the Wolfpack.

And there are multiple reasons why.

“He’ll be a great positional fit in Kevin Keatts’ pick-and-roll system because Keatts loves guards,” Shaw pointed out. “He’ll add shooting from a distance for the team, and he’ll add work ethic.

“The kid works hard. He is in the gym multiple times a day. He has that work ethic that Keatts wants when he talks about the DNA of the team.”