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Today is ACC Media Day and NC State Point Guard Dennis Smith Jr. is representing the Wolfpack. Here’s what he had to say in his official session.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Dennis Smith.

Q. Hey, Dennis, it’s not often you get freshmen down here for this thing, but you seem like you’re made for this, your personality and what people are expecting from your game. Is there any part of you that doesn’t think you’re ready for what we’re going to see from you this year?

DENNIS SMITH JR.: There are no parts of me that thinks I’m not ready for anything, anything that comes at me in life. I’ve been through enough to face adversity, so I’m prepared for anything.

Q. What were the key areas, maybe a couple things that happened, the injury, may be one of them, but what are the things you think prepared you for this stage and the limelight that you’re going to have?

DENNIS SMITH JR.: Like you said, the injury. So that prepares me from a mental standpoint as far as basketball goes. I had a tough upbringing, not coming up with everything, so that also prepared me mentally for life. Like I said, I never run from a challenge. I never back down from adversity.

Q. Growing up in North Carolina, you obviously know about these rivalries with Duke and North Carolina, what do you think it’s going to feel like when you step out on the floor for the first time against those teams?

DENNIS SMITH JR.: It’s going to be exciting. It’s something I look forward to. I’m very anxious to play in those games. Like you said, in the Triangle area, you’ve got UNC, Duke, N.C. State, and N.C. State more often than not is viewed as the underdog. So we just want to come in there and compete as hard as we can and look forward to walking away with a victory against anybody.

Q. You spoke on adversity, and having things that happened that have obviously built you for this moment. How did the team respond to having you first step into N.C. State? And what can you say about the leadership that you can command even as a freshman?

DENNIS SMITH JR.: From day one they were accepting of the type of person that I was on and off the court. So that made it pretty easy for me to be a leader. Coach Gottfried came in, when I came in, coach Gottfried insisted that I be the leader of the team and kind of gave me the keys. He trusted in the fact that I can maximize every guy’s potential on this team, because we have some great players. So he believes in me to do this. So I feel like it’s my job to fulfill that role.

Q. Coach Gottfried gave you the keys. There is a lot of optimism surrounding the team, in part because of you. Do you feel any pressure at all? Not oblivious to it, but are you just kind of above it?

DENNIS SMITH JR.: I don’t feel any pressure at all.
I’ve been playing basketball for a very long time. I had challenges back then coming up. I lost a lot of games that was my fault. I’ve won games that were my fault, so I don’t feel pressure. I just want to go out and compete with my guys and plan on coming out with a victory.

Q. Your coach said you’re the best guard in the country. Are you surprised to hear him say things like that? I’m sure you have that mentality yourself, but it’s very rare for a coach to come out and say something that bald-faced before the season starts?

DENNIS SMITH JR.: Not so much surprised. I’m thankful that he believes it. It shows he has a lot of confidence in my abilities. I work hard, he sees it, and I have a lot of confidence in myself. My team has a lot of confidence in me and vice versa. So I’m just thankful for the recognition from my coach.

Q. Off stage your teammate Malik was answering that question silently for you. What type of teammate is he? What type of rapport and bond do you guys have?

DENNIS SMITH JR.: We’re really close. I don’t even want to tell you how long we stayed up yesterday just talking about different things on the court or in reality. Just we’re really close. He’s like a big brother. We were close before I even committed. We were building a relationship then and it just carried on and progressed from there. So the Malik that you all see here on the podium is the same Malik that’s in the locker room and on the court. He’s a great guy, and a team-first type player.

Q. Sometimes big brothers tell little brothers what to do. Are you okay with that?

DENNIS SMITH JR.: Definitely. I’m all the way okay with it. You learn something new every day, and sometimes little brothers tell big brothers what to do. That’s just a part of the game. So we’re going to help each other, and like I said, we’re going to maximize potential with each player on this team. (Via TheACC)

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Matthew is Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He writes for all sports, with a focus on football and recruiting, and is in charge of business strategy. He is an NC State alum who majored in business. Matthew is also the lead pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.

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NC State Basketball

Bowling Green Transfer Guard Marcus Hill Commits to NC State!

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10 hours ago

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April 25, 2024

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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.

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NC State Basketball

NC State’s Mohamed Diarra Will Not Return to NC State for Final Season

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1 day ago

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April 24, 2024

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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.

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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.

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NC State Basketball

Louisville Transfer Guard Mike James Commits to NC State!

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3 days ago

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April 23, 2024

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Louisville Transfer Guard Mike James (6’5″/200) has announced his commitment to NC State!

 

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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.

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NC State Basketball

Bowling Green Transfer Guard Marcus Hill is on a Visit to NC State

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3 days ago

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April 22, 2024

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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.

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