Breon Pass is ready for a ‘once in a lifetime' opportunity at NC State

Pass, a 6-0, 175-pound guard from Reidsville (N.C.) Senior High arrived in Raleigh last week to begin preparations for his freshman season of basketball at NC State.

Had it not been for his dogged mentality and an unrelenting voice in his head driving him to continue the pursuit of his dream to play basketball in the ACC, Pass instead would have found himself donning a helmet and shoulder pads on the football field this fall.

In the summer of 2020, the talented two-sport athlete announced he was going to focus on basketball. From an external perspective, the move was surprising considering his list of Power Five football offers far exceeded his options on the hardwood at the time.

Not to mention, he hailed from football-crazy Reidsville, N.C. — a town 24 miles north of Greensboro with a population of less than 14,000 — where he helped lead the Rams to three-straight 2A NCHSAA State Championships on the gridiron.

“I just happened to be good at football, so the offers started rolling in,” Pass said. “I was surprised in myself that I was getting interest from big-time schools. I thought basketball was going to be my first option, but it ended up being the other way around.”

“At one point, I was totally locked in on football. But something in my mind just told me to keep going, keep working hard, and the [basketball] offers would come one day. And they came, so I felt that my hard work paid off.”

Pass went on to play summer basketball alongside his future teammate and fellow 2021 NC State signee Terquavion Smith for Tea Marie Hoops, and he saw his recruiting stock rise by showing off his impressive scoring ability and pure shooting form against the region's top talent on the AAU circuit.

He ended up committing to NC State in September over a list of offers that included Georgia Tech, Rutgers, St. Johns, Providence and UNC Greensboro.

He earned his first Power Five offer from Wolfpack head coach Kevin Keatts in September of 2018, in a surprising fashion at that.

Pass, then still a football and basketball recruit, was visiting NC State with Smith and freshman guard Cam Hayes, an eventual signee in the 2020 class. The trio were attending a home football game against Virginia — a 35-21 Wolfpack win — when Keatts had them come meet him outside the stadium at halftime.

“I remember Coach Keatts called me, Cam and T, and he was like, ‘Follow me to the tent at halftime outside the stadium,’ Pass said. “So we all sat down together, with our family in the back, and he came up behind us and told us we were all getting offered full scholarships.

“We all had no idea that we would end up together. That moment was big for all of us because we were all shocked by the way he offered us, and it was such a blessing. It's amazing to me how it's all come full circle.”

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Now Pass will join Smith and Hayes in a Pack backcourt that also returns redshirt junior Thomas Allen and freshman Dereon Seabron. It also added sophomore Casey Morsell, a transfer from Virginia.

Off the court, he’ll study Sports Management, which he intends to use to give back to the Reidsville community once his playing career eventually comes to an end.

“My plan is to come back to my city, build a little sports complex and then just go from there,” Pass said. “Down here, we barely have any gyms, and I want a gym that's open 24-7, you can work out in there, build a sense of community. I got big plans for myself in the future.”

Pass leaves Reidsville Senior High as one of the most decorated athletes in the school’s history. Along with his talents on the court, he has been an active member of the Reidsville community and could often be found working with and providing mentorship to local youth.

“That passion came from when my dad passed away,” Pass said. “Seeing what he did in the community just made me want to come back whenever I'm done with my career and just give what I had to them because down here, we barely have anything. To see somebody make it out of Reidsville, it's big for me because you don't see a lot of talent come out of Reidsville.”

When Pass takes the court for the Wolfpack next season, it’s safe to say many of the 14,000 back home will be rooting for him as he takes the next step in his basketball journey.

And Pass isn’t taking the opportunity for granted. After dedicating all of his attention to basketball, he believes his game will continue to develop at a quicker rate, particularly under the guidance of his new coaching staff.

“Most kids from Reidsville don't get this opportunity,” Pass said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I'm just going to give it all I've got every time I step on the floor. All my life I've been waiting for this moment, I've been dreaming about this moment. It's finally here, so it's time to take advantage and just go hard every time I get a chance to.”

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