NC State Basketball landed a commitment from Arizona State transfer guard DJ Horne on Monday, bolstering what will be a new-look backcourt for the Wolfpack.
it’s a parade inside my city yeaaaa ❤️ WPN let’s rock 🐺🐺 pic.twitter.com/JqXFW8mGUX
— DJ Horne (@djhorne0) April 17, 2023
The Raleigh, North Carolina, native averaged 15.1 points as a sophomore at Illinois State before transferring to Arizona State, where he averaged 12.5 points in each of the last two seasons. He’s a career 37.9% 3-point shooter on more than six attempts a game.
From a roster construction standpoint, Horne’s addition makes perfect sense. Although he’s yet to make an official announcement, DJ Burns is generally expected to return for his final season of eligibility. Having reliable shooting is a necessity in an offense centered around a prolific low-post scorer. Horne will provide that spacing, either eliminating a double-team or benefiting from Burns’ passing ability if the defense does decide to double off him.
Horne has a comfortable pull-up, mid-range step-back, and a soft touch around the rim, making him a productive player in high ball screens. He’s a proven, versatile scorer, not just a stereotypical spot-up shooter.
Horne is NC State’s second notable transfer addition after securing a commitment from Butler guard Jayden Taylor last week. Both are undeniably talented offensive players, which is exactly what Kevin Keatts has been pursuing in the portal after losing Terquavion Smith and Jarkel Joiner.
Casey Morsell is also expected to return for another season, although not official yet. Momentum could always shift, but if he does return, it would be to another talented three-man backcourt.
LJ Thomas will look to make a leap as a sophomore, giving Keatts an extra shot-maker off the bench. Breon Pass could also pick up important minutes as really the only traditional point guard on NC State’s roster.
NC State’s most glaring need at the moment is for another frontcourt player, ideally a starter-level four-man. A stretch four to pair with Burns’ physical presence would make sense.
As for other potential transfer targets, Alabama’s Jaden Bradley has been increasingly linked with NC State, although his recruitment as a whole has been fairly hushed. Bradley was a five-star recruit and the No. 3 point guard in the class of 2022, per the 247Sports Composite. He played a backup role as a freshman at Alabama but has an incredibly high ceiling and is a North Carolina native.
As a more traditional point guard, Bradley would fit in perfectly with the current state of NC State’s roster.