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Here’s why you shouldn’t ignore NC State’s newest 2022 3-star commit, LJ Thomas

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(image/edit from @iknowjacksports)

There hasn’t been really too much buzz about NC State landing 2022, 3-star PG LJ Thomas, and on the surface, the lack of hype doesn’t seem all that crazy.

Thomas is a local kid, hailing from Carrboro, NC. He really hasn’t made national waves yet, he’s not some insane athlete, or some elite-level shooter (yet), so there really aren’t that many highlight reels out there on him.

The commitment also comes on the heels of Keatts landing 4-star center (2022) Shawn Phillips.

There also wasn’t a huge need at PG for 2022. I mean, you will likely still have Cam Hayes at the helm, and backing him up is likely to be Breon Pass. So, adding another PG isn’t really filling a needed hole for that season, and the fact that it’s a kid that’s only a 3-star makes it even less interesting from the outside.

So why is this article trying to tell me Thomas is someone we shouldn’t ignore?

Well, first off, Keatts is now entering his 5th year at NC State. He’s not in scramble mode anymore. He’s not rushing to fill roster spots. In fact, Keatts has been great at bringing in high-end transfers, so locking up a 3-star kid this early wouldn’t seem to make much sense.

Well, unless you know something others don’t.

Whether you’ve noticed or not, Keatts has been borderline elite at evaluating talent before it pops off into the national limelight. I mean, you can even go back further to his time at Wilmington. He had guys like CJ Bryce and Davonte Cacok who both ended up being big-time players who big programs simply bypassed (Bryce ended up being a star at State after his transfer).

Once at State he continued to get commitments from big, yet under-the-radar talent.

When he first targeted Manny Bates, he was a 3-star who most felt was a project player. Jericole Hellems, who is now NC State’s go-to scorer was a 3 star. Dereon Seabron was a 3 star, Josh Hall was a 3 star when Keatts offered him (he too skipped to the NBA despite his commitment to NC State), and both Terquavion Smith and Breon Pass were unknowns when Keatts got involved. Both became 4-star players by the end of their high school careers.

The point is, when Keatts jumps early on a kid, it’s usually best to trust his judgment.

However, in this case, it wasn’t just Keatts who saw big-time promise in LJ Thomas. Virginia Tech, Houston, Auburn, Wichita State, Texas A&M, Maryland, and Florida all offered Thomas before the Wolfpack did.

Why were those elite programs vying for a kid who analysts ranked as only a 3 star?

Well, I guess we’ll have to wait and see, but watching Thomas play it’s obvious what they all see. He’s a big-bodied, agile, crafty guard who has a high basketball IQ, a beautiful midrange game, and a budding 3 point shot.

It’s extremely likely by the end of his career LJ will no longer be just a 3-star guard. In fact, there’s a chance he’ll be competing for the top PG in NC.

Take a look.

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Papajohn
Papajohn
2 years ago

The list of schools offering tells you a lot, each are schools trying to out recruit the blue bloods / big names – but are at a disadvantage unless the kid lives close by.
But this is how you get there, by finding the talent and growing the kid into the potential you see for him.
Since he is listed as a PG, wonder if he’ll push Breon Pass to the portal next season.

Rev
Rev
2 years ago
Reply to  Papajohn

Haven’t even seen Breon in action yet, much less LJ. But I hope he stays. Plenty of room for guards in Keatts’ system. Besides, and this is pure speculation, Thomas may well turn out to be a first rate combo guard. Sometimes the best high school guards are played at point just get the ball in their hands.

Papajohn
Papajohn
2 years ago
Reply to  Rev

Same could be said about Breon. Heck of a shooter & scorer in HS, may be able to play combo as well. Totally agree, Breon sounds like he’s the type of human being we want on our Pack.

Basketball Recruiting

2025 4-Star SF Jackson Keith was at the NC State vs. UNC Game

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Earlier today, I mentioned Wolfpack prospects 4-Star 2025 Power Forward Sadiq White Jr., 4-Star 2025 Point Guard Jordan Lowery, and 2026 Point Guard Kobe Edwards would be visiting for the NC State vs. UNC game.

4-Star 2025 Small Forward Jackson Keith (6’5″/175) was also in attendance.


Keith is a consensus 4-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, with Rivals ranking him as the #53 overall player in the class. The Southern High (Durham, NC) standout is ranked as the #2 player in the state of North Carolina in the 2025 class by ESPN.

Keith holds offers from NC State, Wake Forest, Mississippi St., Illinois, SMU, Virginia Tech, LSU and others.

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Basketball Recruiting

NC State Recruits that Will Be in Attendance for the UNC Game Tonight

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NC State (11-3) will host #7 UNC (11-3) tonight in PNC Arena, and they also will be hosting a couple of recruiting prospects.

4-Star 2025 Power Forward Sadiq White Jr. and 4-Star 2025 Point Guard Jordan Lowery both confirmed with me that they will be in attendance.



White, who plays for Myers Park (Charlotte) is the consensus #1 player in the state of North Carolina in the 2025 recruiting class, and he’s 4 spots away from being a 5-star prospect according to ON3. Lowery plays for Winston-Salem Christian School, and is ranked as the #7 overall player in the state of North Carolina in the 2025 recruiting class according to 247Sports.

White holds offers from NC State, South Carolina, Syracuse, Cincinnati, Wake Forest, LSU, FSU, Illinois, Virginia Tech, Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, Georgetown, Ohio State and others. Lowery holds offers from NC State, TCU, Virginia Tech, SMU, Oklahoma St., Kansas St. St. Louis and others.

2026 Point Guard Kobe Edwards also told me he will be in attendance.


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Basketball Recruiting

NC State is 1 of the Schools 4-Star PG Kayden Mingo is Hearing from the Most

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4-Star 2025 Point Guard Kayden Mingo (6’1″/160) stated that NC State is one of the schools most frequently reaching out to him, along with Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Notre Dame, Penn State, Cal and Old Dominion.

Despite the Wolfpack’s interest in Mingo, they haven’t offered him yet. Mingo currently holds offers from Cal, Penn State, Saint Louis, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.

Rivals and ESPN both rank Mingo as a 4-Star prospect, with Rivals ranking him as the #70 overall player nationally in the 2025 recruiting class.

Mingo plays for Long Island Lutheran in New York, which is one of the top teams in the country. He is currently the Nike EYBL Scholastic’s leading scorer (20ppg).

 

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Basketball Recruiting

Highlights of NC State 2024 Signee Paul McNeil from the John Wall Holiday Invitational

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NC State 2024 signee Paul McNeil Jr. showcased his talent at the 2023 John Wall Holiday Invitational at the end of the year. Below are highlights from his first two games.

In Richmond’s 77-62 win over Jordan in their first game of the invitational, McNeil had 27 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals.

In Game 2, McNeil had 24 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists in Richmond’s 53-56 loss to Northwood.

In Game 3, McNeil had 21 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in Richmond’s 68-84 loss to Cannon. I couldn’t find any highlights from this particular game.

Through 11 games this season, McNeil is averaging 29.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. He is shooting 52% from the field and 35% from three.

 

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