NC State men’s basketball had an electric end to its previous season; winning five straight games to claim the ACC Championship and a run to the Final Four for the first time in 41 years. Even though the Pack didn’t bring home a National Championship, it won its first ACC title since 1987.
DJ Horne and DJ Burns were at the center of the run, dominating every time they touched the court. The run signaled the end of the duo, and two banners will be hung in Lenovo Center to cement their greatness.
This year’s story will be different, with players moving on and promising freshmen and transfers coming in to fill the void. Here’s the breakdown of the NC State men’s basketball roster, highlighting key pieces and glue guys.
Guard Michael O’Connell
With Horne moving on to pursue his basketball career in a German Pro League, head coach Kevin Keatts had to find someone to step up and follow in Horne’s footsteps.
Who better than running mate graduate guard Michael O’Connell to take Horne’s place? O’Connell is confirmed to have the starting point guard position, showcasing his talents during the Wolfpack’s sensational March Madness run. O’Connell averaged over 10 points, four assists and four rebounds all while shooting 50% from 3 during the postseason. He tapped into his clutch gene by knocking down a heave 3 to force overtime in a win-or-go-home game against Virginia in the semifinals of the ACC tournament.
O’Connell was more of a role player during last year’s regular season, making the occasional 3 and dishing out two-to-three assists per outing. However, Keatts came out and said that O’Connell started taking action, especially vocally, to help benefit his team.
“We didn’t become a really good team until late March when Michael started realizing that his voice matters,” Keatts said. “I looked around in one huddle and he’s talking to somebody. I was like, ‘Hold on, is that Michael?’ because he hadn’t said a word all year long.”
Forward Ben Middlebrooks
Senior forward Ben Middlebrooks is another key returner from last year’s squad who showed lots of potential in March. Middlebrooks is known to be a tenacious rebounder and hustle guy for the Wolfpack — jumping on loose balls, sprinting down the court and going for every rebound he sees. Middlebrooks showed his intensity during the Pack’s Final Four run with a 21-point game against Texas Tech and seven or more rebounds in every game.
He looks to carry on this energy and seems to be doing a good job so far. Keatts talks highly of Middlebrook’s energy and as a contributor to good team morale.
“Man, they’re walking around with major swag,” Keatts said. “Ben Middlebrooks is having the time of his life. I’ve got to slow him down a little bit, but they’re excited and having a good time”
Middlebrooks is a definite glue guy for the Wolfpack this year. The big man is projected to play more minutes and has the potential to become a key piece.
Forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield
Transfer senior forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield is coming off a great season at Louisville last year. Hatfield averaged over 12 points and was top 70 in the nation in rebounds, averaging over eight a game.
Huntley-Hatfield played against NC State in the first round of the ACC Tournament last year and had a productive game with 17 points, seven boards and a block.
Huntley-Hatfield is one of the many transfers Keatts has brought to NC State within the last three years. The portal has become second nature to Keatts, using it to his advantage to grab top-tier scorers. Hatfield has all the attributes to be a scorer with polished footwork inside and the versatility to take anyone to the hole. Keatts is confident that he can turn this transfer, much like others, into a great scorer.
“As a team who has lost its leading scorer almost every year, we’ve created leading scorers,” Keatts said. “I think we have a good formula of bringing in transfers that have been successful.”
Huntley-Hatfield is set to finish his collegiate basketball career with the Wolfpack and is hoping to make an immediate impact like previous transfers Horne and Burns.
Guard Trey Parker
Freshman guard Trey Parker is coming in as a three-star recruit who played for Overtime Elite last year, averaging over 11 points, four assists and three steals a game.
Parker is known for his athleticism as his highlight reel is made up of a lot of dunks. Parker knows how to get his team hyped up with big plays, creating momentum and ramping up the energy on both sides of the ball. Keatts said Parker will win the “Prime Time with the Pack” dunk contest, claiming that he can out-jump anyone in the gym.
Guard Jayden Taylor
Returning senior guard Jayden Taylor rejoins running mates O’Connell and Middlebrooks to form a potential big three. The guard was more of a glue guy last year, leaving the primetime moments to Horne, Burns and Mohamed Diarra.
Taylor is ready to take it to the next level as the guard will be a much-needed veteran presence in the starting lineup. Taylor averaged around 11 points and four rebounds a game last season, being a little trigger-happy at times.
Taylor struggled to be efficient in some of the games last year, relying on isolation plays in late shot-clock moments and forcing up bad shots. However, Taylor did have six games with 20+ points and 22 double-figure games last season. These breakout moments give hope that Taylor can be a strong offensive presence for the Wolfpack. Taylor can also be an active force from beyond the arc as he knocked down 64 3s last year — the second most on the team.
