NC State had a complete renovation this offseason in hiring three assistant coaches and bringing in at least four new transfers.
The hope is that the newcomers will energize the program and improve upon last year’s injury-riddled 11-21 squad that finished last in the ACC. The newcomers combined with the return of sophomore shooting guard Terquavion Smith gives coach Kevin Keatts hope for a turnaround, similar to his first season in 2017.
The Wolfpack added Allerik Freeman and Sam Hunt as transfers, technically Braxton Beverly was a freshman transfer and signed Lavar Batts Jr. out of high school. NCSU bounced back from 15-17 and went 21-12 overall and reached the NCAA Tournament in 2017-18.
NC State hired assistant coaches Levi Watkins (Ole Miss), Kareem Richardson (Clemson) and Joel Justus (Arizona State) to reshape the coaching staff.
Transfers D.J. Burns (Winthrop) and Dusan Mahorcic (Utah) will fortify the middle, wing Jack Clark (La Salle) provides versatility and point guard Jarkel Joiner (Ole Miss) will be looked upon to be a leader right away.
“There is no such thing as an offseason,” Keatts said. “Basketball has become 365 [days] and 24/7. We are so busy and there are so many different situations. You have the transfer portal and they have to let you know by May 1. Then in our situation we had two guys [Smith, Dereon Seabron], who were going through the NBA process and that is June 1.”
Keatts still has one scholarship remaining and the Wolfpack are fighting for Boise State point forward Emmanuel Akot, who was ranked No. 26 in the country coming out of Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah, in the class of 2017. He played at Arizona for two years and then transferred to Boise State.
NC State has managed to get “old” very quickly with the transfer and returning players.
“I’m still waiting for someone to tell me that Jarkel Joiner is not real,” Keatts said. “You want to talk about a guy that is oozing with enthusiasm and is a great leader. He’s the one that is like, ‘I can’t wait for Terquavion to come back and have the opportunity to play with him.’
“At one point [last year], we were handing out fruit snacks because we were so young. I don’t want to hand out beer, but we are older.”
Burns and Mahorcic are finishing up their summer school plans in order to graduate. Burns’ ability to score in the post hasn’t been seen with the Wolfpack since Omer Yurtseven in that aforementioned 2017-18 season. He averaged 15.0 points in 20.9 minutes per game at Winthrop.
“He scores, good goodness he can score the basketball,” Keatts said. “Just think if I can get him to 30 minutes, maybe he’ll average 25 points per game. Don’t print that because will be texting me about playing 30 minutes.”
The key in bringing together all the new faces could involve one of Keatts’ favorite places Aug. 6-11.
“I can confirm that the Bahamas is one of my favorite places on earth,” said Keatts about his upcoming summer tour. “I like the Bahamas. This will be my third time in November being in Battle 4 Atlantis.
“You take those foreign trips because you obviously get 10 practices. With a new team and so many new pieces, we need the practice time. But it’s a major bonding piece.”
The additions of Burns and Mahorcic combined with redshirt junior Ebenezer Dowuona gives the Wolfpack options at center that they didn’t have last year. The healthy return of redshirt junior Greg Gantt and sophomore Ernest Ross is a must at power forward.
“It gives us some bodies that we didn’t have last year [at center],” Keatts said. “We didn’t have great point guard play as we thought. We didn’t have a legitimate veteran post guy. That really hurt us.”
Gantt missed all of last season due to a sports hernia and knee injury, and Ross suffered a fractured right ankle during practice in mid-January and missed the rest of the season.
“Ernest Ross and Greg Gantt have been making positive strides in the spring,” Keatts said. “Ernest just got cleared for full contact. Greg with his time sitting out had gained some weight. Now, he’s back to around 219 and we want him 215 with more explosiveness. Both of those guys we have kind of taken it slow.
“Both of those guys will be ready by the time we get to the season.”
Keatts said he feels the same pressure he’s always had.
“I think you guys know my background, I don’t like to lose,” Keatts said. “I don’t feel any more pressure than when I took the job.
“We have a lot of things we have to get better at.”
Follow on Twitter:
@NCStateRivals or @JaceyZembal
Subscribe for free on YouTube:
For Jacey Zembal or The Wolfpack Central
Like on Facebook:
ATTENTION SUBSCRIBERS: Our NETWORK-WIDE, all-access pass allows you to read every premium message board in the Rivals.com network as part of a bundled add-on to your subscription!
Subscribers can add the All-Access Pass or a 3-Site Bundle in your account profile, under the Subscriptions tab: HERE
