When the process of finding a new coach began it was really keying in on landing Archie Miller. However, as time went on it started to look more and more like Miller was eyeing the potential opening of the Ohio State job. That too changed when OSU publically stated that Thad Matta would be returning next season. So where does that leave the situation, exactly?

Well, tonight Miller will face off against another past-potential NC State target, Gregg Marshall of Witchita State. Should Dayton fall, the game really begins for the Wolfpack. There is no doubt that State will engage Miller. The former Wolfpack point guard is probably the hottest mid-major coach on the market, has ties to Raleigh and the timing couldn’t be better (Miller is losing a talented senior class that has brought him most of his success.) The question is, will Miller listen?

This is his alma-mater. He has friends here. His wife’s family is local. While all of that doesn’t mean he’s likely to take the job, we think he’ll listen at the very least out of generosity.

So the question we are posing is, what would it take to get Miller to Raleigh? There is not going to a hometown bargain here. This is a guy who is rocketing his way up the coaching ranks. A few more big seasons at Dayton and he’ll be the front-runner for nearly any big-time job that opens up. That means NC State needs to not only come in strong with an offer, they need to blow Miller away. If this is NC State’s #1 guy, and we believe it is, they need to be ready to compensate him well enough that any questions he has about the decision to come to NC State falls into the background.

We are talking big money. We’re talking $3 million plus money. We might be talking $3.5 range when all is said and done. But that’s not all. A big salary isn’t going to be the only thing NC State needs to pony up to pull Miller. They need to provide security. That is the biggest detractor from this job. Whether it was Herb Sendek or Mark Gottfried, the word on the street is that NC State has a quick trigger with their coaches. Fair or not, that needs to be addressed in this offer. That means long-term with a large buyout. Too risky, you say? When you’re bidding for a guy like Miller it’s a high stakes game. If you, as a program, view Miller as your home run then you go and you get him. You don’t lowball him or hedge your bets. You go all in.

This is the difference between a good program and a great program. Does NC State have the confidence in their vetting process? Do they have confidence in their evaluation process? Do they know what they want? What they need? If you want to be a great program then you need to know yourself. You need to know your fanbase and your expectations. You need to pinpoint what is necessary to take your program to the next level. That way, when you find that person, then you go get him. No questions asked.

Will the Wolfpack put their hesitation at bay and make the offer needed to reel in Archie Miller, or will they play it safe and make another value hire? I think that is the answer we’ll get in the next few days.

NC State Basketball

Louisville Transfer Guard Mike James Commits to NC State!

Published

14 hours ago

April 23, 2024

Matthew Bradham

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.

NC State Basketball

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

Published

1 day ago

April 22, 2024

Matthew Bradham

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.

NC State Basketball

What did an ACC Title & Final Four Mean to NC State Legend Dennis Smith Jr.?

Published

2 days ago

April 22, 2024

Matthew Bradham

What did an ACC Title & Final Four mean to NC State Legend Dennis Smith Jr.? The man who won the ACC Rookie of the Year Award in 2017 gave me a statement.

It means a lot. It means a lot to the university, the state of North Carolina and a lot more to my dad, grandma, and myself. They have been NC State fans since forever, so their excitement level was though the roof when they saw BOTH of our basketball teams shining like that. It was a great feeling!

2017 was Smith Jr.’s only year of College ball, averaging 18.1 points, 6.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals. He earned 2nd Team All-ACC honors, and obviously, he earned a spot on the ACC All-Freshman Team.

DSJ was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the 9th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Smith Jr. just wrapped up his 7th season in the NBA. This was his 1st season with Brooklyn, playing in 56 games for the Nets. He averaged 6.6 points, 3.6 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, averaging 18.9 minutes per contest.