Busting Brackets
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NC State Basketball: Analyzing Wolfpack 2021 incoming recruiting class

By Cooper Watson

RALEIGH, NC - JANUARY 29: A general view of PNC Arena prior to the game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the North Carolina State Wolfpack on January 29, 2019 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - JANUARY 29: A general view of PNC Arena prior to the game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the North Carolina State Wolfpack on January 29, 2019 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /
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Mr. Wuf, the mascot North Carolina State Basketball (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
Mr. Wuf, the mascot North Carolina State Basketball (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /

2. Greg Gantt

Previous school: Providence

2020-21 stats: 4.0 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 21.4 MPG 

Greg Gantt was a 4-star prospect out of Fayetteville in 2019—the No. 3 rated player from N.C. behind the Chicago Bulls’ Patrick Williams and Duke’s Wendell Moore.

At 6’8”, 215 lbs., Gantt has maintained his speed and lateral quickness which, coupled with his athleticism, make him an excellent slasher and rebounder. He averaged just over one attempt per game from deep last season, shooting just 22.9%—capable but not exactly a threat.

Defensively, the physical tools are there with the effective productivity to match. As a freshman he put up a team-leading adjusted defensive rating of 89.0, following that up with another solid rating of 97.1 last season.

Gantt, along with the abovementioned Ernest Ross, will start the season as a key reserve, backing up Jericole Hellems and Dereon Seabron. Ideally, Gantt is a forward, but NC State’s lack of true size could even see him stretch for some minutes as an undersized center behind Manny Bates.

Gantt is listed as a junior, although he has three years of eligibility remaining with the free year awarded by the NCAA due to COVID-19.

1. Casey Morsell

Previous school: Virginia

2020-21 stats: 4.4 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 15.0 MPG

After two years under Tony Bennett at Virginia, Morsell’s defensive ability is almost a given. Switching from a pack-line system to Keatts’ high-pressure system will take some adjusting, but the principles will translate in time, if not right away.

Offensively, Morsell ranked dead last in offensive rating by a wide margin for Virginia last season. He can’t shoot (20.3% 3P) but his quickness and basketball IQ should mesh nicely in Keatts’ up-tempo style as he continues to develop that outside shot. Both his 3-point and 2-point percentages jumped nearly nine percentage points from his freshman to sophomore season—a trend that leaves plenty of room for hope in Raleigh.

Morsell is NC State’s top guard reserve ahead of freshmen Terquavion Smith and Breon Pass, meaning that he will see significant minutes off the bench to start the season with the potential to make a push for the starting lineup at some point this season.

dark. Next. Preseason top-25 power rankings for 2021-22

Morsell, like Gantt, is also listed as a junior but retains three full years of eligibility should he choose to use them.

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