DraftExpress ranked the Top 31 NBA prospects in the ACC, and they ranked NC State point guard 23rd. Here is a breakdown of the Top 31 ACC NBA prospects.
Brandon Ingram – Duke
Demetrius Jackson – Notre Dame
Justin Jackson – UNC
Chinanu Onuaku – Louisville
Grayson Allen – Duke
Derryck Thornton – Duke
Kennedy Meeks – UNC
Theo Pinson – UNC
Chase Jeter – Duke
Luke Kennard – Duke
Malcolm Brogdon – UVA
Donovan Mitchell – Louisville
Brice Johnson – UNC
Michael Gbinije – Syracuse
Tyler Lydon – Syracuse
Xavier Rathan-Mayes – FSU
Dwayne Bacon – FSU
Marcus Paige – UNC
Zach Auguste – Notre Dame
Mike Tobey – UVA
Sheldon McClellan – Miami
V.J. Beachem – Notre Dame
Cat Barber – NC State
Damion Lee – Louisville
Steve Vasturia – Notre Dame
Davon Reed – Miami
Donte Grantham – Clemson
Jaron Blossomgame – Clemson
Konstantinos Mitoglou – Wake Forest
Jalen Hudson – Virginia Tech
Jamel Artis – Pittsburgh
Here is a small excerpt of what DraftExpress had to say about Barber.
After dealing with some difficult circumstances off the floor, Cat Barber showed scouts what he was capable of at the collegiate level with a surge in his confidence and production late in the year. As a junior, he must do the same and more, continuing to display his versatile skill set while improving as a distributor. Barber’s frame may limit his potential at the next level, but he shows elite quickness and his ability to operate out of the pick-and-roll should draw NBA interest if he can become more consistent. Regardless of his prospects at this stage, North Carolina State will need Cat Barber more than ever during his junior season and scouts will be watching to see if he can rise to the occasion. (DraftExpress)
Hopefully this will eliminate talk that Cat will jump to the NBA after his junior year (never understood why you’d push one of your best players to bounce). Just because we have a game-changing PG recruit coming in doesn’t mean they can’t coexist for a single season.
Today was the final day graduate players could enter the Portal.
This past season, O’Connell averaged 5.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Wolfpack, starting 22 of the 41 games he played in.
O’Connell took over as NC State’s starting Point Guard on January 30th in a win against Miami.
He only scored in double figures in 9 of his 41 games this season, but 6 of those came in postseason play (5 in the ACC Tournament). O’Connell took things to another level in the ACC Tournament, playing aggressive on the offensive end, looking for his shot, and attacking the rim.
NC State played it’s best basketball of the season when O’Connell was running the show. He ranked 3rd in the ACC in Assist/Turnover Ratio (2.5).
Heading into next season, with a lineup filled with new faces, having the calming presence of a veteran leader like O’Connell is reassuring.
ECU Transfer Power Forward Ezra Ausar (6’9″/240) was on an Official Visit to NC State yesterday, and according to analysts at ON3 and 247Sports, things are trending in the right direction for the Wolfpack.
Jamie Shaw of ON3 submitted a prediction for Ausar to eventually commit to NC State yesterday morning.
Cory Smith of 247Sports submitted a crystal ball projection for Ausar to run with the Wolfpack this morning.
Ausar just wrapped up his Sophomore season in Greenville, averaging 11.4 points and 4.7 rebounds, shooting 51.4% from the field. As a Freshman, he was named to the AAC All-Freshman Team, averaging 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds.
Ausar is a consensus 4-Star prospect in the Transfer Portal, and ON3 ranks him as the #60 overall player in the Portal and the #10 Power Forward.
Originally from Atlanta, Ausar played his Senior Season of High School at Liberty Heights Athletic Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina. ON3 ranked Ausar as a 4-Star prospect coming out of high school, the #94 overall player nationally, and the #2 player in the state of North Carolina.
Ausar has visited Seton Hall, Georgia Tech, met over Zoom with Georgetown, and had an in-home visit with Utah. John Calipari and his staff at Arkansas have been in touch with Ausar, as well as Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Arizona State, West Virginia, Iowa State and St. John’s. (Link)
At this point, it’s good news that Ausar has no visits scheduled after the visit to NC State.
Ausar has 2 years of eligibility remaining, and NC State currently has 1 scholarship remaining.
NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts and the beloved DJ Burns were both Siren Sounders for the Canes this evening, with Carolina defeating the Islanders 6-3, winning the Round 1 series 4-1.
Me: Were you nervous?
Kevin Keatts: No! I just won nine elimination games in the NCAA Tournament!
Hopefully this will eliminate talk that Cat will jump to the NBA after his junior year (never understood why you’d push one of your best players to bounce). Just because we have a game-changing PG recruit coming in doesn’t mean they can’t coexist for a single season.