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Kevin Keatts travels to California to visit 2024 NC native, McNeil Jr, who had HISTORIC sophomore season

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9 months ago

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Paul McNeil Jr (2024) is currently out in Napa, CA, but originally the 6’6 shooting guard was playing his high school ball in Rockingham, NC.

Keatts traveled out to Prolific Prep in Napa Valley, CA to check out McNeil Jr. This tells us a lot.

Keatts is putting in some serious work trying to get a replacement for Terquavion Smith, who is almost surely headed to the NBA after this season.

So far, NC State has shown a lot of interest in 2023 4-star guards Silas Demary Jr, Davin Cosby Jr, and Braelon Green. McNeil can be added to the list, but he’s a 2024 kid, so he wouldn’t be here next season.

Demary Jr and Green are both more suited to be combo guards. They aren’t really shot hunters like Terquavion Smith. So it wouldn’t surprise me for Keatts to take one of those guys for next year and then focus on bringing in McNeil in 2024.

Just watch McNeil Jr in these highlights. He’s big, strong, and super smooth. His jumper has impeccable form and he scores it on all 3 levels, not afraid to stop and pop from mid-range.

McNeil isn’t some unkown kid, either. He’s a big time recruit. He was just the second sophomre in history to win the NC Gatorade Player of the Year. This past summer he was in NC dominating for Garner Road AAU. He finished with 19ppg, 3.3 assists and almost 7 rebounds. And let’s say this again…this is his sophomore summer.

While at Richmond High in Rockingham, NC, McNeil was a beast, averaging 24.5 ppg, almost 10 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.7 steals. You’d think he’d be pretty happy with those results, but it seems he wants more.

“I have so much more to do,” McNeil told Sports Illustrated “I haven’t done anything yet. All of the awards and offers are cool, but I’m too busy working to think about that stuff.”

And NC State is far from the only school involved here. McNeil is also hearing from UNC, Georgetown, Clemson, FSU, Indiana, Ohio State and UCLA.

Give this kid another season and he’ll likley earn that 5th star.

“I’m gunning for the top,” McNeil says. “It keeps me working harder and harder. I want to be the No. 1 player. I think everyone does. I’m not satisfied with anything I’ve done so far because I have so far to go.” (SI.com)

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Papajohn
Papajohn
8 months ago

Sounds like a good one

Last edited 8 months ago by Papajohn
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Basketball Recruiting

North Carolina High School Athletes Will Now be Able to Profit off NIL

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3 weeks ago

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May 4, 2023

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NIL has shaken up the college sports world, and now it will be shaking up the high school sports world in North Carolina (NCHSAA), becoming one of 27 states to approve the ability for high school athletes to profit off their Name, Image and Likeness.

This will officially take place beginning July 1.

In order for a student athlete to begin this process, they will have to take a course on NIL, and their parents, coaches and athletic director will as well. Schools and coaches will not be able to represent the student in NIL Deals, and they will also not be allowed to use NIL as a way to draw athletes to their school.

There are restrictions on what student athletes can profit off of though.

The NCHSAA will prohibit student-athletes from entering into NIL deals with products around adult entertainment, alcohol, cannabis, controlled substances, firearms and ammunition, gambling, prescription drugs, as well as tobacco, vaping, and other Nicotine-related products. Athletes cannot affiliate themselves with a specific school, conference, school district, the NCHSAA, or the NFHS through a NIL deal.

(Link)

What are your thoughts?

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Basketball Recruiting

NC State Men’s Offers 4-Star Jahki Howard

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4 weeks ago

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May 1, 2023

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Last Thursday, the Wolfpack offered 2024 Small Forward Jahki Howard (6’7″/180) out of Overtime Elite (Atlanta, GA).

ESPN ranks Howard as the #53 overall player nationally in the 2024 recruiting class, and the #3 player in the state of Georgia.

Howard is familiar with NC State, because NC State 2023 signee Trey Parker played with him down at Overtime Elite. In 2022-23, Howard averaged 10.1 points per game, shooting 58.6% from the field.

Check out these pictures of Howard on an unofficial visit to NC State with Parker.

 

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A post shared by Jahki howard (@showtime_ki)

Check out these recent highlight reels of Howard.

 

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Parker and Howard showed out in this Dunk Contest a couple of months back.

Howard will be taking an Official Visit to Georgetown on May 8-9.

 

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Basketball Recruiting

4-Star SF Jahki Howard Takes an Unofficial Visit to NC State

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3 months ago

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February 20, 2023

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4-Star 2024 Small Forward Jahki Howard (6’7″/180) took an Unofficial Visit to NC State yesterday alongside 4-Star Shooting Guard Paul McNeil, who verbally committed to run with the Wolfpack yesterday.

Howard is ranked as the #51 overall player nationally in the 2024 class by Rivals, and the #4 player in the state of Georgia according to ESPN. Howard plays for Overtime Elite in Atlanta, where 2023 NC State signee Trey Parker plays.

He also holds offers from Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Providence, Auburn, Rutgers, Illinois, Texas A&M, Mississippi St, Wake Forest, Florida, LSU, Ole Miss, Arizona St, Kansas, Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, and others.

As far as I can tell, Howard doesn’t hold an offer from NC State at this point.

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Basketball Recruiting

4-Star 2024 Shooting Guard Paul McNeil Commits to NC State!

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3 months ago

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February 19, 2023

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What a day! 4-Star 2024 Shooting Guard Paul McNeil (6’6″/185) wrapped up his Official Visit to NC State today by committing to run with the Wolfpack, after watching them defeat their rival UNC in PNC Arena.

McNeil is the #17 overall player nationally in the 2024 recruiting class according to ESPN, and the #2 player in the state of North Carolina.

In 2022-23, McNeil is averaging 23.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.4 steals per game for Richmond High School. Last year, he became the first ever Sophomore to win the Gatorade Player of the Year Award in the state of North Carolina.

McNeil also held offers from Clemson, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Alabama, Miami, Georgetown, St. John’s, LSU, Virginia Tech, Missouri, and others.

 

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