NC State basketball: Wolfpack snags coveted recruit Manny Bates

Playing in arguably the best conference in college basketball, Head Coach Kevin Keatts will need to recruit quality players that play on both ends if he intends to compete.

The NC State Wolfpack received some good news on Thursday with their first pledge for the 2018 class in Manny Bates. The 6’10 big man, who ranks No. 78 in ESPN’s top 100 rankings, made the commitment official per his Twitter account:

The decision came down to a couple of schools, the Wolfpack and the Georgetown Hoyas. It was an important recruiting battle for the first time head coaches. Both Keatts and Patrick Ewing both are in rebuilding mode with a team who finished in the bottom half of their conference.

A four-star prospect, Bates is considered incredibly raw on the offensive end but has great athleticism and defensive instincts. The hope for NC State fans is that he’s a version of first-rounder Bam Adebayo from Kentucky. Without having a ready-made offensive game, Bam impacted the game with his rebounding, defense and his motor.

While Bates is the first high school commit, he’ll be joining CJ Bryce, who transferred from UNC Wilmington to follow Keatts. Bryce will be eligible to play in 2018, along with Manny.

It was an important move to grab a big next year with the impending departure of big Abdul-Malik Abu. The importance could grow further if Omer Yurtseven could play up to his potential, making the seven-footer an NBA prospect.

Next: Are the Wolfpack the wildcard in the ACC?

After a disastrous season that cost Mark Gottfried his job, Coach Keatts will be looking to change both the roster and culture that at times, made the Wolf Pack embarrassing to watch. Acquiring the services of an energetic big who can play quality D is a good place to start