This NIL stuff makes it really tough to know what you’ve got coming into a season.

That’s why these early season games, which used to not matter, are a lot more fun to watch these days. Suddenly, I’m packing an entire off-season of speculation into a few weeks in early November.

There literally was no way to know what this team would look like coming into the season. Sure, you could look at the pieces and try to imagine what they’d look like together, but the only real way to get a reading on this team was going to be to watch these first few games.

With that said, here’s my takeaways against Citadel.

– This is going to be Kevin Keatts’ best defensive team.
Bold prediction based on history, but just 5 minutes into the game last night told me everything I needed to know. If NC State needs to lock down, they can go with DJ Horne at the point, Jaden Taylor at the 2, Morsell at the 3, and depending on who your opposing 4 man is, you can go with Dennis Parker Jr. or Diarra at the 4, with Burns or Middlebrooks at the 5.

In years past, Morsell was really the only guy you could count on to hawk an opposing dribbler, but this year you have Jaden Taylor who in my opinion might be a better on-the-ball defender. Morsell may have the advantage in terms of  getting in position, but Taylor is super athletic and really feisty when he digs down and defends. Then you have Dennis Parker Jr at the 4. He’s going to split time with Diarra, but when State can go smaller (Parker is 6’7) Parker is super athletic and is a very good defender for a freshman (both on the ball and in help situations).

– This team is going to be a lot less frustrating to watch (in terms of team basketball)
I loved watching Joiner and Smith get hot, but as a big fan of team basketball and finding good, open shots, the way those guys played could be frustrating. Now, look, I’m old-fashioned. I know basketball has changed and the 1-on-1 isolation era has arrived. But does that basketball really win games? Spoiler Alert: It doesn’t.

This team did a great job of moving the ball, staying patient, and finding the open man. When you do these things, the shots will eventually fall and it will be a pleasure to watch.

– Mike O’Connell is the new Engin Atsur
Deep cut for all you older state fans, but O’Connell isn’t a flashy PG who is going to break you down off the dribble. But he’s a guy who can control pace, find the open man, and knock down open shots. A lot like former NC State PG Engin Atsur used to do during the early 2000’s.

O’Connell finished with 14 points and 7 assists. That’s a Markell Johnson type stat-line that we haven’t seen here in a while. Now, before you get TOO excited, O’Connell knocked down four 3s and was 4-5 from downtown last night. This is a guy who shot 33% during his best season at Stanford. He’s going to get out-quicked in a some games and he’s not going to be Archie Miller, draining 3s all over the place, but he’s going to be a good solid PG for NC State and the type of control-guard that they haven’t had in a long time.

– DJ Burns was as advertised.
16 points in 26 mintues. He looked as you’d expect and will have the offense run through him all season long.

– DJ Horne is going to be our best-scoring guard
He was off last night, but you can see how this guy can score in bunches. He doesn’t look like a volume shooter, and was picking his spots last night, but you can tell that when he gets hot he’ll be hard to stop. Very quick, great body control and confidence from deep. He finished with 6 points, 6 boards and 4 assists.

Horne will be a hybrid guard who plays PG a lot this season (especially in games where O’Connell is out-athleted.)

– Jaden Taylor is TBD
Defensively, I already told you that Taylor is going to be VERY good. But offensively it’s still a question in my mind. He knocked down 2-3 from downtown, but was 3-9 overall for 9 points. He looks very athletic, but didn’t get to see enough of him to understand what he’s capable of at this level. He does looked to be locked in as NC State’s starting 2-Guard.

– Mohamed Diarra is the 4 Keatts has always needed
Keatts thought he could replicate his success at UNCW by going small and out-quicking opponents in the ACC. It didn’t work. And while I’m not so sure he understands that yet, he’s about to get a full season of convincing. Dennis Parker Jr (6’7) was recruited for this position, to take the place of Jack Clark, who had taken the position of Jericole Hellem, who had taken the position of CJ Bryce, who had taken the place of Torin Dorn.

Look, the 4 position under Keatts had always been a huge hole. They were undersized tweeners who would have dominated in lower leagues and actually had some success offensively at times, but in the ACC you need size, and when Diarra committed here, it was finally a situation where we’d get that.

Diarra is 6’10, but is super-mobile and can guard the perimeter. There aren’t many guys like this, which is why building a system where this position needs a guy like this seems like an uphill battle, but I guess every now and then you land one of these agile giants.

Anyways, Diarra was great. He played back-to-the-basket center last year at Missouri but now gets to play his more natural position where he’ll get a ton of wing touches. He finished with 10 points and 14 boards (adding 3 blocks). When NC State needs to go big (and they will need to a lot) Diarra gives them a real twin-tower situation down low. And it also gives them a true rebounder, since Burns struggles to rebound at times.

– Ben Middlebrooks TBD
Middlebrooks looked really physical in his 14 mintues, but I didn’t get to see enough of him to figure out what he’s capable of. My guess is that he’ll get minutes at the 5, when Burns needs a break and might actually get some time at the 4 when NC State plays a team with a bunch of front line bruisers and Diarra isn’t strong enough to bang on the blocks.

– Dennis Parker Jr. is going to be good
Biggest surprise of the night for me. I thought this kid looked great. He’s extremely athletic, he’s not a nice shot and he’s got a high on-court IQ. I think Parker, the lone freshman, is just scratching the surface. He’s going to be a big contributor this season and will be perfect to compliment Diarra when NC State needs more quickness on the perimeter. The good news is, they won’t be giving up any toughness, as this kid loves contact, and is also willing to attack the rim with reckless abandon.

Parker had the 2 most eye-popping plays for me last night night. His crossover and drive to the hoop (which he missed) was an elite athletic move with a great combination of clean footwork and inviting contact. The other play was his help-side block where he saw a driver with a clear lane to the hoop, left his man and rose up to throw the layup attempt into the first row. Elite athlete and will be a fan favorite soon.