NC State is the Only Team in the Elite Eight with a Starting 5 of all Transfers

Kevin Keatts and the Transfer Portal were always destined for greatness. Back in the day, when he was at Hargrave Military Academy, he basically experienced roster turnover on an annual basis.

NC State is the only team in the Elite 8 that doesn’t have a single player in their Starting 5 that started at the school straight out of high school. All 5 starters are members of the Wolfpack via the Transfer Portal.

Casey Morsell transferred from Virginia, where he spent his first two years, and has been with the Wolfpack for the past three.

DJ Burns redshirted his first year at Tennessee, played the next three at Winthrop, and the final two at NC State.

DJ Horne played his first two years at Illinois St., the next two at Arizona St., and this season at NC State.

Michael O’Connell played for four years at Stanford, before transferring to NC State. O’Connell has another year of eligibility after this season.

Mohamed Diarra played his first two seasons at Garden City Community College, where he became the #1 JUCO player in the nation. After playing last season at Missouri, he landed in Raleigh this year. Diarra has one year of eligibility remaining after this season.

The 6th man off the bench, Jayden Taylor, spent his first two years at Butler before transferring to NC State this year. He has one year of eligibility remaining after this season.

Ben Middlebrooks, who is a part of the trio of Wolfpack post players, spent his first two seasons at Clemson, before making his way to Raleigh this year. He has one year of eligibility remaining after this season.

The only two players on NC State’s roster that they recruited out of high school are Juniors Breon Pass (Guard) and Ernest Ross (Forward), and Freshman Guard Dennis Parker Jr.

It’s a new world with the Transfer Portal, but Kevin Keatts has obviously adapted well.