If you want to watch NC State head coach Kevin Keatt’s Media Day press conference in full form, you can do so here, but if you’re just looking for the main points, look no further.
Opening Statement
Been working out two hours a week together. Two players he’s been most impressed with are RS Senior PF Lennard Freeman and Sophomore C Omer Yurtseven. They have been extremely good players and have worded hard.
Conditioning has been a big deal.
Practice starts Friday.
They are being picked to finish between 11th and 14th in the ACC by preseason publications. He wishes we were 15th so he could use it as motivation.
On Lennard Freeman
In the best shape of his life.
Last years team struggled with rebounding. Lennard is a great rebounder.
On Omer Yurtseven
He’s back to playing with confidence again. Coming in after missing games last season didn’t set him up to be confident.
Had to convince him that this year was going to be a different situation than last year.
He didn’t just come back because Keatts recruited him, but because he listened to the NBA guys.
On Style of Play
Has 3 legit big guys that he wants to put into the offense. Don’t be surprised to see Lennard and Omer on the court at the same time.
They will still play fast, but this team will be a different version of what the team will look like in the future, because he has bigger guys that can contribute.
On Taking over the Program
Soon as he stepped on campus, these players became his guys.
He told all the players that he doesn’t have any starters. They will determine that.
On Malik Abu
He has developed a 15-foot jump shot.
He’s started to put the ball on the floor a little bit
Goal is to get him confident from 15-18 feet away, but also take guys off the dribble from there.
On Braxton Beverly
Submitted the waiver for him two weeks ago, and they haven’t responded back with any questions.
He can practice and play, the only thing he can’t do as of now is competition.
On Point Guard
The guy that obviously needs to play well is Sophomore Markell Johnson.
On Torin Dorn
He’s playing with a lot of confidence. He’s believing in the system. He’s going to see a lot of minutes at Small Forward, but if we get in a situation where we have to go small, he will play Power Forward, or what Keatts calls the ‘4th guard.’
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.
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.
Boston Transfer Center Caitlin Weimar (6’4″) is currently on an Official Visit to NC State.
Sources tell me Caitlin Weimar (6’4” Forward transfer from Boston U) is currently on a visit to NC State.
She ranked 44th in D1 (scoring) last season at 18.7 ppg & 15th in rebounding at 10.6 rpg, in addition to 2.0 apg, 1.3 spg & 2.8 bpg. pic.twitter.com/d2y4jACx2K
Weimar is the reigning Patriot League Player of the Year, and has been named Defensive Player of the Year the past two years. She has earned 1st Team Patriot League Honors the past two seasons.
This year, Weimar averaged 18.7 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. As a Junior, she averaged 15.5 points and 10.0 rebounds. She shot 55.5% this year, and 59.7% last year.
With NC State not having River Baldwin at Center next year, adding Weimar is an extremely exciting possibility.
