NC State hired Kevin Keatts today, according to reports. They will have a team meeting tonight.
Most of you know Keatts from Hargrave, where he coached former NC State point guard Lorenzo Brown. During Brown’s recruitment, we had the chance to speak with Keatts on numerous occasions. He is a good basketball mind and gave a lot of good insight into the recruiting process.
After Hargrave, he went to Louisville to become to the top recruiter for Rick Pitino’s squad. While there, he landed some impressive classes and started to make a name for himself. After his run with the Cardinals, Keatts took his first head coaching job at UNC-Wilmington. His work there is why he is currently on the Wolfpack’s radar.
In his three years at UNCW, Keatts has taken a struggling program and put them back on the map. Wilmington has finished 1st (or tied for first) in all three seasons under Keatts. He also won coach of the year in his first campaign.
So really, there is a lot to like about Kevin Keatts. He seems to check a lot of the boxes for the Wolfpack, but there is one thing that worries some. Keatts has yet to beat a top 50 school or even beat a team from a power 5 conference. So he has proven that he can win and win big in the Colonial Conference, but will that translate to the ACC? That’s what we’re about to find out.
You have to be kidding. Why didn’t Yow wait until the tournament was at least thru the first weekend? I grew up watching four corners basketball and do not enjoy a bunch of running and gunning without playing defense. Sorry, I don’t have as positive feeling about the coach as most of the Kool-Aid drinkers do.
Wolfer96
7 years ago
Here’s what I like and dislike about this hire:
Like:
Disciple of Rick Pitino
Good recruiter?
Comes from winning program (turned around losing program)
2 of 3 seasons made it to NCAA’s
Dislike:
Only 3 years head coaching exp
Coached against lesser talent
Does not have any big wins in 3 seasons at Wilmington
Has not made it past 1st round of CIT or NCAA
Poor defensive rankings
Wolfer96
7 years ago
I’ll be the 1st to admit that I was wrong about him if he wins consistently and has the team rolling by year 4. But his defensive rankings in 3 seasons as HC at Wilmington leave a lot to be desired. One of the biggest criticisms of Gott was his inability to coach defense and then we hire another guy who by the numbers is also bad at coaching defense.
wolfpack74
7 years ago
I now understand what is happening. State is leaving the ACC and joining the Colonial conference. Good move, Yow.
Wolfer96
7 years ago
Nothing we can do now. It’s done. I guess Yow will have to retire and hang her hat on wrestling and swimming. I will support the new coach and I want him to do well but right now I just don’t know how he is the best choice?
Wolfer96
7 years ago
Wasn’t he involved with that prostitution fiasco at Louisville?
Wolfer96
7 years ago
OMG Yow is a moron! This was a guy that should have been plan D or F. Not plan B! She was so embarassed by her last search that she made sure to end the pain fast this time and settle on a complete noob.
Louisville Transfer Guard Mike James (6’5″/200) is on a visit to NC State currently, according to a source.
Indiana State Transfer Ryan Conwell was on campus last week, but he just committed to Xavier.
From what I hear, the staff preferred James over Connell anyway. A plus with James is he has 2 years of eligibility, whereas Conwell has 1.
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.
Rivals ranked James as the #71 overall player in the 2021 recruiting class, and ESPN ranked him as the #7 prospect in the state of Florida.
After redshirting his first year in Louisville due to torn achilles, James has been a starter for the Cardinals the past two years. This year, he averaged 12.6 points and 5 rebounds.
For a more extensive look at James’ game, click here.
Rivals ranks James as the #77 overall player in the Transfer Portal.
Louisville Transfer Guard Mike James (6’5″/200) is a priority for NC State, according to a source.
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.
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.
He does have the ability to knock down a three, making 34.8% for his career.
Prior to this season, the record for most games started in a single season in NC State history was 37, with three Wolfpack players doing so: Lorenzo Brown, Richard Howell, CJ Williams.
Morsell now sits atop the list, and a fellow teammate, DJ Burns ranks second, with 40 games started this season.
Styles was the 2nd leading scorer for Georgetown this season, averaging 12.8 points per game, while grabbing 5.8 boards. He shot 36.8% from three.
Originally, Sytles was a consensus 4-Star prospect in UNC’s 2021 recruiting class. 247Sports ranked him as the #62 overall player nationally, and the #2 player in the state of North Carolina, playing for Kinston High School.
After two seasons with the Tar Heels, Styles entered the Portal, and took an Official Visit to NC State and Georgetown, and ultimately chose the Hoyas.
ON3 ranks Styles as the #104 overall player in the Portal.
With his final year of eligibility, Styles’ made the right choice this time.
NC State now has 2 scholarships remaining after Styles’ commitment.
Alright I am now sold on Keatts. The man speaks in 3rd person. Quote from Keatts at Press conference – “Kevin Keatts is a winner”.
You have to be kidding. Why didn’t Yow wait until the tournament was at least thru the first weekend? I grew up watching four corners basketball and do not enjoy a bunch of running and gunning without playing defense. Sorry, I don’t have as positive feeling about the coach as most of the Kool-Aid drinkers do.
Here’s what I like and dislike about this hire:
Like:
Disciple of Rick Pitino
Good recruiter?
Comes from winning program (turned around losing program)
2 of 3 seasons made it to NCAA’s
Dislike:
Only 3 years head coaching exp
Coached against lesser talent
Does not have any big wins in 3 seasons at Wilmington
Has not made it past 1st round of CIT or NCAA
Poor defensive rankings
I’ll be the 1st to admit that I was wrong about him if he wins consistently and has the team rolling by year 4. But his defensive rankings in 3 seasons as HC at Wilmington leave a lot to be desired. One of the biggest criticisms of Gott was his inability to coach defense and then we hire another guy who by the numbers is also bad at coaching defense.
I now understand what is happening. State is leaving the ACC and joining the Colonial conference. Good move, Yow.
Nothing we can do now. It’s done. I guess Yow will have to retire and hang her hat on wrestling and swimming. I will support the new coach and I want him to do well but right now I just don’t know how he is the best choice?
Wasn’t he involved with that prostitution fiasco at Louisville?
OMG Yow is a moron! This was a guy that should have been plan D or F. Not plan B! She was so embarassed by her last search that she made sure to end the pain fast this time and settle on a complete noob.