NC State is hoping to land Dennis Smith Jr. and Bam Adebayo, who both rank in the Top 10 of the 2016 basketball recruiting class. Smith is the #4 overall player according to both Scout, Rivals, and ESPN, and he is the #1 point guard in the class. Adebayo is the #7 overall player according to Rivals and #8 according to ESPN.
I don’t know if NC State fans can quite grasp what the possibility of landing two Top-10 players in one class means for the Wolfpack. The talent on the court for the Wolfpack in 2016 would be astounding and the future of recruiting in Raleigh would be very bright.
This begs the question. Who were the last 2 Top 10 players that NC State landed? JJ Hickson in 2007 and Julius Hodge in 2001.
JJ Hickson was the #10 overall player in the 2007 class according to Rivals. Hickson averaged 14.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game as a Freshman, and earned a spot on the All-ACC Freshman team and was an Honorable Mention for the All-ACC team. After one season in Raleigh, Hickson was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 19th overall pick in the 1st round of the 2008 draft. The former Wolfpack power forward has spent the past 7 seasons in the NBA, and has averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds in his career.
Hickson High School Rivals Highlights
Julius Hodge was the #7 player in the 2001 recruiting class according to Bob Gibbons, #5 according to ESPN, #7 according to The Sporting News, and #9 according to PrepStars. Over his 4-year career at NC State, Hodge averaged 15.8, 6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. The Juice earned 1st Team All-ACC honors in 2003 and 2004, and was named the ACC Player of the year in 2004. He finished his career 3rd on NC State’s all-time scoring list. Hodge was drafted by the Denver Nuggets with the 20th overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NBA Draft. After playing 2 seasons in the NBA, Hodge went on to play 8 seasons professionally all over the world.
Julius Hodge High School Highlights (skip to 3:17)
It’s too bad State wasn’t any better during Hickson’s lone season. I had forgotten what his stats even were that year or how highly rated he was. Imagine if they had made the tourney that year, then Hickson would be an infinitely more memorable Pack player. Instead he just continues to recede further from memory.
4-Star Guard/Forward Bryce Heard has verbally committed to NC State! He chose to Run with the Wolfpack over a Final 4 that also included USC, Mississippi St., and Xavier.
Heard took an Official Visit to NC State beginning on June 23rd.
247Sports, ESPN and Rivals all rank Heard as a 4-Star prospect. Rivals ranks him as the #95 overall player nationally in the 2025 recruiting class. 247Sports ranks him as the #16 Combo Guard in the class, and they also rank him as the #2 player in the state of Illinois.
As a Junior this past season at Homewood-Flossmoor (Chicago, Illinois), Heard averaged 19 point, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.
Heard is the 3rd member of NC State’s 2024 recruiting class, joining 4-Star Guard/Forward Paul McNeil and 3-Star Guard Trey Parker.
4-Star 2025 Guard Davion Hannah (6’5″/180) released his Top-9 schools yesterday, and NC State made the cut along with Alabama, Pitt, Xavier, Cincinnati, Michigan St., Louisville, Ohio St. and Wisconsin.
2025 Top 30 Davion Hannah (@Davionhannah25) has cut his list of schools to Nine!
Hannah will be taking an Official Visit to NC State on October 5th.
NC State offered Hannah on June 19th.
Hannah is right on the cusp of being a 5-star prospect. 247Sports ranks him as the #27 overall player nationally in the 2025 recruiting class, the #4 Combo Guard, and the #3 player in the state of Missouri.
This past season as a Junior at Nicolet High School (Glendale, Wisconsin), Hannah averaged 18.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. He also just participated in the NBA Top 100 camp, and was one of the standouts.
For his Senior season, Hannah has transferred to Link Academy in Branson, Missouri.
Rivals ranks Adams as the #16 overall player nationally in the 2025 recruiting class. ESPN and 247Sports rank him as the #4 Shooting Guard in the class. 247Sports and ON3 rank him as the #2 player in the state of Indiana, playing for La Lumiere School in La Porte.
He has also scheduled Official Visits to Tennessee, Michigan St., Alabama, UCONN and Notre Dame.
4-Star 2025 Guard/Forward Bryce Heard (6’6″/190) has trimmed his list of schools to 4, with NC State making the cut along with USC, Mississippi St. and Xavier. He will be announcing his college decision next Wednesday, July 24th.
NEWS: 2025 4⭐️ Bryce Heard (@Bryceheard_) tells @LeagueRDY he’s officially cut his list to four schools:
— 24/7 High School Hoops (@247HSHoops) July 16, 2024
Heard took an Official Visit to NC State beginning on June 23rd.
247Sports, ESPN and Rivals all rank Heard as a 4-Star prospect. Rivals ranks him as the #95 overall player nationally in the 2025 recruiting class. 247Sports ranks him as the #16 Combo Guard in the class, and they also rank him as the #2 player in the state of Illinois.
As a Junior this past season at Homewood-Flossmoor (Chicago, Illinois), Heard averaged 19 point, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.
From where things currently stand, NC State looks like they are in a good position to land Heard.
It’s too bad State wasn’t any better during Hickson’s lone season. I had forgotten what his stats even were that year or how highly rated he was. Imagine if they had made the tourney that year, then Hickson would be an infinitely more memorable Pack player. Instead he just continues to recede further from memory.