Athletics Director Debbie Yow, new men's basketball coach Kevin Keatts, and Chancellor Randy Woodson pose for a photo during the introductory press conference for Keatts in Reynolds Coliseum on March 19. Keatts replaced Mark Gottfried as mens basketball coach. Keatts spoke during the conference on his plans for next season and his transition from UNC-Wilmington to NC State." />
Will Skinner
Athletics Director Debbie Yow, new men's basketball coach Kevin Keatts, and Chancellor Randy Woodson pose for a photo during the introductory press conference for Keatts in Reynolds Coliseum on March 19. Keatts replaced Mark Gottfried as mens basketball coach. Keatts spoke during the conference on his plans for next season and his transition from UNC-Wilmington to NC State.
Since Kevin Keatts was hired as the NC State men’s head basketball coach in March, he has dealt with a sense of uncertainty regarding his roster. A roster that consisted of 12 scholarship players in the 2016-17 season took a handful of hits, some foreseen and some completely unanticipated. However, with a new leader at the helm, personnel turnover is to be expected.
The Wolfpack lost forward BeeJay Anya to graduation and the NCAA denied guard Terry Henderson a sixth year of eligibility at the end of last month. Lottery-bound “one-and-done” draft pick, guard Dennis Smith Jr., declared for the NBA draft, leaving no one in shock. The only players that Keatts truly failed to retain were forwards Ted Kapita and Maverick Rowan. Both Kapita and Rowan will attempt professional careers, opting to leave NC State after one and two years, respectively.
However, Keatts has hit the recruiting trail hard in little time, bringing in one player from the class of 2017, two transfers who can play in 2018, and two graduate transfers who will be eligible this upcoming season.
Incoming freshman guard Lavar Batts is a four-star and top-100 recruit, according to 247 Sports. Batts will likely play a backup point guard role, behind rising sophomore guard Markell Johnson. Graduate-transfer guard Al Freeman from Baylor will also join the Pack and be eligible to play this upcoming season. Freeman averaged 9.7 points and 2.5 boards for Baylor last season, helping the Bears reach the Sweet 16. The 6-foot-3 Charlotte native shot a very respectable 38.9 percent from three last season and will fill the void of 3-point specialist Henderson.
The second graduate transfer with immediate eligibility is guard Sam Hunt, who will transfer from North Carolina A&T. Hunt led A&T in scoring last season with 12.7 points per game, and could be an asset in Keatts’ 3-point heavy system, as he shot 35.4 percent from downtown last season.
The latest additions to the Wolfpack are also transfers. Rising junior guard C.J Bryce decided to reunite with his former head coach, transferring from UNC-Wilmington and rising sophomore guard Devon Daniels will transfer from Utah. Ineligible to play this upcoming season, Bryce will redshirt a year and will be able to suit up for the Pack starting in the 2018-19 season with two years of eligibility remaining. The 6-foot-5 Charlotte native played a large role in helping the Seahawks make back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances, averaging 17.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season.
Daniels will also redshirt this upcoming season, being able to return to the court in the 2018-19 season with three years of eligibility remaining. After only one year of college basketball, the former three-star recruit played above expectations, proving that he can be effective against power-five competition. Daniels averaged 9.9 points and 4.6 boards per game as a freshman last season while playing in the Pac-12.
In a little less than three months, Keatts has shown that he can bring in talent that fits his scheme. Although the Wolfpack may be undermanned going into the 2017-18 season, fans of the program have good reason to be optimistic that there will be no shortage of talent in Raleigh.