NC State men’s basketball coach Kevin Keatts has worked behind the curve to say the least during the summer. Since March, the former UNC-Wilmington head coach has attempted to get the Wolfpack acclimated to his patented up-tempo system before NC State heads overseas to Italy in August.
“Our guys are working extremely hard,” Keatts said. “You won’t recognize a couple of the guys.”
Keatts had to virtually produce a roster on the fly in the spring with many players’ futures uncertain. Freshman guard Lavar Batts Jr., a four-star recruit by ESPN, signed with the Pack, Baylor graduate transfer guard Al Freeman signed in April, junior guard C.J. Bryce and sophomore guard Devon Daniels transferred from UNCW and Utah, respectively, and graduate transfer guard Sam Hunt announced his signing June 6.
“The challenge of building a roster; it was tough,” Keatts said. “Because we had to hit the ground running. I think the uncertainty of who was going to be in the draft … it became a major challenge.”
A differing methodology from years past coupled with a plethora of new players will result in a never-before-seen Wolfpack team.
NC State’s top three scorers are no longer with the team. Point guard Dennis Smith Jr. is showcasing his talents in the NBA Summer League with the Dallas Mavericks, shooting guard Terry Henderson was denied a sixth year of eligibility and guard Maverick Rowan left to pursue a professional career. Don’t forget that center Beejay Anya graduated and forward Ted Kapita surprisingly departed for a pro career as well. However, redshirt senior forward Lennard Freeman, who should be an integral part of NC State’s frontcourt, returns to the Pack after redshirting last season due to a foot injury.
“I think [Freeman]’s done a tremendous job of showing us in this early summer that he can rebound the basketball,” Keatts said. “And also I think he gives us the ability to score inside.”
Keatts went as far to say that Freeman has “completely changed his body” due to the increased conditioning required for the fast-paced style of play that Keatts was known for with the Seahawks.
“We condition a little bit more than most teams in the country and in order for these guys to play my system, we’ve got to play fast on both ends of the floor,” Keatts said. “And I think that’s been an adjustment but I will say for most of those guys it’s been a pretty good adjustment so far.”
Acclimating to a new ideology has to be an uphill battle for the returning program guys, yet it has been a transformation for nearly every player. Three new groups will be on the floor for the Pack: the transfers, the freshman Batts, and the returning players like senior forward Abdul-Malik Abu and redshirt junior guard Torin Dorn. The transition away from the Mark Gottfried era has been a process for everyone.
“It’s been a challenge to try and get everyone on the same page,” Keatts said. “We are getting there … As I told the guys, we haven’t done everything great, but you’re playing hard.”
The summer is coming to a close and NC State’s time to mesh together as one unit is ticking. The Pack was scheduled to make a trip to Italy last year but the school postponed the visit due to safety concerns in the region at the time. Sophomore center Omer Yurtseven will not make the trip since he is competing in the U-20 European Championship in Greece and is expected to join the national team before returning to school in the fall.
“I wanted [Yurtseven] to have a chance to go back and play with his team and get his confidence back to a high level,” Keatts said about the decision to allow Yurtseven to play in Europe for the summer.
According to The News & Observer, the Wolfpack is scheduled to depart for Italy on Aug. 2 and then return on Aug. 12 after playing three, possibly four games.
The trip overseas allows Keatts to get a good look at how his team performs on the floor before the real season begins in November. With major personnel and coaching changes happening in a short amount of time, establishing chemistry among the team is Keatts’ number one priority.
“I’m looking forward to continue to build a relationship with those guys on and off the floor,” Keatts said. “Once I get settled into a house, I look forward to having those guys over to my house. Building a relationship with those guys is one of the most important things that I’ve got to do here.”
