NC State Basketball: Wolfpack are the wildcard in the ACC

NC State basketball fell towards the bottom of the ACC at 4-14 last season. Can new coach Kevin Keatts lead the Wolfpack back to relevance?

NC State basketball endured a very disappointing 2016-17 campaign where they struggled in the ACC despite having a NBA lottery pick in Dennis Smith. Smith was not the only talented player in the Wolfpack lineup which made their ineffectiveness even more puzzling. NC State also had sharpshooter Maverick Rowan, explosive big man Abdul-Malik Abu, and highly-regarded international prospect Omer Yurtseven.

On paper, this stockpile of talent should have been enough to, at least, make the NCAA Tournament, but a porous defense and lack of experienced players dragged NC State basketball to the ACC basement. The Wolfpack was last in defensive efficiency among all ACC teams and was the least experienced team in the ACC (318^th overall) according to Kenpom.

Coach Mark Gottfried also contributed to their problems. Gottfried is known to be an excellent recruiter, but he does not have a good reputation as an in-game coach. Kevin Keatts is considered to be a much better coach who could potentially fix NC State’s defensive woes. Keatts has also recruited well in the first few months of his NC State career, which bodes well for the future.

Many of the defensive issues can be attributed to effort and Dennis Smith was probably the most inconsistent on that end of the floor. Smith often dominated offensively with his explosive first step and finishing ability, but his often apathetic defensive play held NCST back. The Wolfpack will miss Smith’s offensive abilities but could see addition by subtraction on defense.

NCST has an older and more experienced team this season which could help them climb the standings. The Wolfpack added Al Freeman, a grad transfer scoring guard who averaged 9.4ppg on a very good Baylor team. They return senior big man Abdul-Malik Abu who has played significant minutes throughout his NCST career. Markelle Johnson, Torin Dorn, and Omer Yurtseven are three key players who are entering their second year playing at NCST. An additional year of experience will be extremely beneficial and could suggest that they are in line for major jumps.

Breaking Down the NC State Roster

Al Freeman should be the starting shooting guard for NC State and it seems like he’s already made a great impression. Freeman is an excellent three-point shooter (39%) and he should average double figures in his final collegiate season. The 6’3″ scoring guard saw his minutes and production dip as a junior at Baylor, but he will definitely play a huge role for the Wolfpack.

Junior Torin Dorn joins Freeman on the wing. Dorn started his career at Charlotte before transferring to NC State for his sophomore season. Dorn averaged 9.4ppg and 4.6rpg while shooting strong percentages from the field (50%) and from three (36%). Expect Dorn to play even better in his second season with the Wolfpack.

On paper, NC State has one of the best starting frontcourts in the conference with senior Abdul-Malik Abu and sophomore Omer Yurtseven. Abu is an athletic big man who averaged 11.8ppg and 7rpg last season. While those numbers look promising, they are actually down from his sophomore season. Yurtseven came to NC State with NBA Draft buzz and high expectations but failed to make an impact as a freshman. The Turkish 7-footer looked lost on the court but has shown great touch and skill in international play. If NC State is going to reach their full potential they need Abu and Yurtseven to take the anticipated steps forward and realize their immense potential.

NC State adds some quality experienced depth for this season with Lennard Freeman and Sam Hunt. Freeman has been a reliable bench piece in each of his first three seasons but missed last season due to injury. Listed at 6’8″ and 267 pounds, Freeman brings toughness and rebounding to the frontcourt. He has averaged over 19 minutes per game and over five rebounds per game in his three previous seasons with NC State. Sam Hunt is a grad transfer from North Carolina A&T who will bring some perimeter scoring off the bench. Hunt averaged 12.4ppg and hit 74 3-pointers last season. Freeman and Hunt should see the most minutes off the bench, but freshman Braxton Beverly, sophomore Darius Hicks, and junior Shaun Kirk could also see some action.

This breakdown shows the talent and experience that NC State has throughout their roster. However, there is one major question mark for the Wolfpack, point guard play.

The point guard position is the biggest question mark for NC State since Markelle Johnson and Lavarr Batts are unproven and inexperienced. Johnson is an athletic 6’1″ sophomore who often played out of control as a freshman. Johnson struggles to shoot the ball but proved to be a solid back-up for Dennis Smith with his 2.3apg to only 1.1 turnovers per game. Lavarr Batts is considered to be one of the best freshmen in the ACC and is considered capable of making an immediate impact. Batts was a top 100 recruit and could earn the starting PG role. If NC State can get competent PG play between their two young guards, the Wolfpack must be taken seriously as a potential tournament team.

Climbing the ACC standings should be more manageable this season because the conference does not look like the juggernaut it was in 2016-17. Florida State lost four starters including Jonathan Isaac and Dwayne Bacon. Clemson lost multiple starters including star Jarron Blossomgame. Wake Forest lost John Collins to the NBA Draft. Syracuse has lost six of their top seven scorers including star Tyler Lydon. Boston College has failed to generate any momentum in recent years and Pitt’s roster is totally gutted.

This list shows how much talent has left the ACC and shows an opportunity for NC State to get back on track. NC State has the necessary personnel to jump these teams in the standings and, if they gel early enough, could be a NCAA Tournament sleeper.

NC State lost some key pieces themselves (Dennis Smith, Maverick Rowan, and Terry Henderson), but with more defensive effort and more disciplined play, the Wolfpack should be able to utilize their talent more effectively.

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Expect NC State to finish in the middle of the ACC this season. While I wouldn’t peg the Wolfpack for the tournament just yet, it is clear that they should not be overlooked and have legitimate tournament upside. People are underestimating NCST because of their poor performance last season, but this group is still very talented and should be more disciplined under Coach Keatts. NC State is the biggest wildcard in the conference and many people could be shocked by their final placement in March.