NCAA Basketball: Analyzing 2021 wing Matthew Cleveland’s final 5 schools
By Ian Mumm
North Carolina State Wolfpack
The Wolfpack has loved having Kevin Keatts at the helm of the program. Despite not having many top-100 players in his three seasons with the team, he has managed to wrack up at least 20 wins a year. His teams play solidly across the board and have been a difficult out for any team they face, let alone the rest of the ACC.
Despite the lack of star talent on his rosters, Keatts is looking to sign a big 2021 class. Already hot on the trail of Cleveland, the Wolfpack are high on the list of talented point guard Carter Whitt and 5-star center Efton Reid. If he can sign at least two of these players, in addition to his incoming crop of guards, there will be a lot of reason for excitement in Raleigh about how high this team can reach.
As a natural fit for the program, Cleveland’s commitment is at the top of Keatts’ priority list. The long wing is quick to close on perimeter shooters and would be a strong addition to funnel ball-handlers inside the pain, as the team already prefers to do. The team also has balanced rebounding across the board and preaches crashing the glass, but Cleveland will still be in the conversation as one of the best on the team. NC State also created a lot of turnovers last season and will allow a player of Cleveland’s talents to improvise in the open floor and attack the rim with his skilled finishing ability.
His slashing tendencies will open the floor for perimeter shooters and give bigs much easier shots than receiving the full focus of the defense. Cleveland’s shooting consistency from the perimeter will be a welcome addition to a team ranked 263rd in conversions last season. He will be the benefactor on a team that readily shares the ball around the floor and equally distributes shots to all players on the floor.
While the Wolfpack has been on the losing end of the immediate preps to pros battler in the last two seasons, fans can take solace in the fact that Cleveland is unlikely to take the same path (at this time).