How will Dennis Smith Jr be remembered? I honestly am not sure. I’m guessing a lot like JJ Hickson. People from NC State will want to claim him as their own if he succeeds in the NBA, but overall I think the expectations outweighed the reality and that kind of stung for people. Smith Jr was supposed to save the program. Even his own coach called him the best guard in the nation. Now, even if he was, I don’t think a coach should be spreading the praise on that thick, but it is what it is. It just goes as a reminder. Most real winning teams do not have freshman leaders, and their PG is not a high volume scorer. NC State had both, and look where it got them.
Now, we say that as NC State fans, but the truth is, Dennis Smith Jr is a crazy gifted basketball player. He is just young. He made moves this season that you only see from NBA all-stars make. The kid is going to be a success, Let’s take a look at this years greatest hits.
He's been #MustSeeACC for @PackMensBball all season.
The best of the best from @Dennis4Smithpic.twitter.com/nJd3gcX4wX
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) March 2, 2017
Bowling Green Transfer Guard Marcus Hill (6’4″/185) has committed to NC State!
Hill took an Official Visit to NC State this past weekend.
This past season, Hill averaged 20.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Falcons. He earned 1st Team All-MAC honors. Even though he was only at Bowling Green one season, he had one of the best seasons in school history, scoring 698 points, which ranks 5th all-time in program history for a single season.
For his first two years of collegiate ball, Hill played for Southern Union State College (JUCO) in Alabama. In 2022-23, Hill earned 3rd Team NJCAA All-American honors, and ranked as the #32 overall Junior College prospect.
247Sports ranks Hill as a 4-Star Transfer Prospect, and the #81 overall player in the Transfer Portal, and the #11 Shooting Guard.
Even though 247Sports and ON3 consider Hill a Shooting Guard, NC State is recruiting him as a Point Guard.
Hill is the 4th player to transfer to NC State this offseason, joining Louisville’s Brandon Huntley-Hatfield & Mike James, and Georgetown’s Dontrez Styles.
With the addition of Hill, NC State now has 1 scholarship remaining for next season.
NC State Forward Mohamed Diarra will not be returning to NC State for his final season of eligibility. Rather, he will give 100% of his focus to pursuing his professional career.
Diarra is declaring for the NBA Draft, and will explore that possibility as far as it goes, but the likelihood of him playing professionally in his home country of France are high.
Diarra was a significant player for NC State all season long, averaging 6.3 points and 7.8 rebounds (team high), but his impact in March was tremendous, recording 10+ rebounds in 7 of the Wolfpack’s 10 postseason games, and five of those performances were double-doubles.
Wolfpack fans will always remember the grit and mental toughness that Diarra put on display in the NCAA Tournament, playing game-after-game while fasting for Ramadan.
The Wolfpack’s frontcourt just got a little bit thinner. In the past two weeks, NC State has lost Diarra and Ernest Ross. Ben Middlebrooks is returning, and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield transferred in from Louisville. Dontrez Styles transferred in from Georgetown, and while he is more of a Small Forward, in certain lineups, he could play the Small 4 position. With all that being said, I fully expect NC State to try to find another post player in the Transfer Portal with Diarra’s exodus now official.
With Diarra not returning in 2024, NC State now has 2 scholarships available for next season.
Louisville Transfer Guard Mike James (6’5″/200) has announced his commitment to NC State!
View this post on Instagram
This past year, James averaged 12.6 points per game (3rd on the team) and 5 rebounds. He’s extremely physical and aggressive, taking 47% of his field goal attempts at the rim (making 46%). As a result, he draws a lot of fouls, ranking 10th in the ACC in Fouls Drawn, and 4th in Free Throw Rate. James made opponents pay this year when they put him on the line, making 81.8% from the charity stripe, which ranked 15th in the ACC.
James shot the ball better as a Redshirt Freshman, than he did this past season. His Effective Field Goal Percentage in 2022-23 was 55.8%, which ranked 19th in the ACC, and his True Shooting Percentage of 59.6% ranked 14th.
News broke about James entering the Transfer Portal back on March 25th, and NC State was quick to reach out. Kevin Keatts and his staff recruited the former 4-star prospect out of high school heavily, but he ultimately chose the Cardinals.
After redshirting his first year in Louisville due to torn achilles, James has been a starter for the Cardinals the past two years.
He does have the ability to knock down a three, making 34.8% for his career.
James has 2 years of eligibility remaining. With James’ commitment, NC State currently has 1 scholarship available for next season.
Bowling Green Transfer Guard Marcus Hill (6’4″/185) confirmed with me that he is currently on a visit at NC State.
Hill averaged 20.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Falcons this season. He earned 1st Team All-MAC honors. Even though he was only at Bowling Green one season, he had one of the best seasons in school history, scoring 698 points, which ranks 5th all-time in program history for a single season.
For his first two years of collegiate ball, Hill played for Southern Union State College (JUCO) in Alabama. In 2022-23, Hill earned 3rd Team NJCAA All-American honors, and ranked as the #32 overall Junior College prospect.
247Sports ranks Hill as a 4-Star Transfer Prospect, and the #78 overall player in the Transfer Portal, and the #11 Shooting Guard.
According to a source, the NC State Coaching Staff is extremely high on Hill, and they are recruiting him as a Point Guard.
Dennis we hardly knew ye. Wish you had a better coach because this season could have been very special. Good luck to you in the NBA and don’t forget to join TJ back in Raleigh during the breaks.
One and dones never comes back.
Dennis may because he’s a local guy. JJ was from Georgia so it makes sense he doesn’t come back.
Wrong post
BTW, where is that little twerp that was always on here telling everyone they didn’t know about basketball? Haven’t heard from him since everything I had been saying about this team came true.
Try “backingthepack.com”. There a bunch of them on that website.
I feel like the average age on that site may be too young. Too many brainwashed Wolfpackers who believe State should play 3rd fiddle to our neighbors. We have the money, the facilities, the location. Only thing missing is a good coach and the right administration. Yow doesn’t get a pass until she rights the men’s basketball program.
They are alike in that they were both coached poorly. It wasn’t JJ’s fault that team chemistry took a dump. That was on Lowe for playing favorites and not integrating JJ better into the existing roster. Much like how Gott mismanaged his roster and had so many transfers over the years.
Just like J.J. Hickson. J.J. who?