NC State four prep signees all ranked within top 125
NC State’s five-member 2018 class is ranked No. 11 nationally, and the four prep signees are ranked among the top 125 in the country.
NC State will have four prep seniors and junior college transfer Derek Funderburk next year, with the latter having three years of eligibility remaining. The Wolfpack have oversigned by one but are not done in recruiting. The five signees and transfers Devon Daniels, a sophomore small forward from Utah, and junior wing C.J. Bryce of North Carolina Wilmington, will help remodel the NCSU program next year. Both Daniels and Bryce are sitting out this season.
However, NC State is not done in recruiting. Missouri freshman point guard transfer Blake Harris unofficially visited Monday, and another star guard could be on campus soon.
One unsigned Rivals150 member who NC State is heavily involved in is former Louisville commit Anfernee Simons, a combo guard from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy. The five-star Simons is ranked No. 13 overall nationally and is fresh off of officially visiting Tennessee for the Volunteers' win over Kentucky this past weekend.
The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Simons decommitted from Louisville after head coach Rick Pitino was fired due to the allegations from the FBI sting. NC State, South Carolina, Florida and perhaps UCLA are all angling for one of his four remaining official visits. However, due to Simons being a post-graduate this season, he technically is eligible to enter the NBA Draft. Pro teams have been watching him this season.
NC State also appears to be trying to get involved with Cordova (Tenn.) High senior point guard Tyler Harris, who is ranked No. 67 overall nationally in the class. The 5-9, 155-pounder has officially visited Iowa State, Memphis and Colorado State, and plans to check out Tennessee. NC State would have to land his fifth official visit to have a chance.
Washington (D.C.) Sidwell Friends senior small forward signee Saddiq Bey has emerged as NC State’s highest-rated recruit after Tuesday’s update of the Rivals rankings. The 6-6, 185-pound Bey fell four slots to No. 105 overall nationally. He picked NC State over Xavier, Pittsburgh and Miami (Fla.).
Senior combo forward Jericole Hellems of St. Louis (Mo.) Chaminade was previously the top-rated recruit in the Wolfpack’s class. The athletic 6-6, 190-pounder slid from No. 99 overall to No. 109 in the rankings.
Senior post player Ian Steere, who originally committed to Creighton before flipping to NC State, is ranked No. 116 overall nationally, which is a slight fall from No. 104 in the previous rankings. The 6-8, 250-pounder missed some games in November with a knee injury, but returned prior to Thanksgiving.
Immanuel Bates, who also attends Steere, has proven to be the most difficult Wolfpack signee to rank. The 6-9, 215-pounder will miss his senior year due to shoulder surgery, and he fell as a result from No. 110 to No. 122 in the latest installment.
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