PI EXCLUSIVE: Jerry Deng Breaks Down Coach Wade’s Vision for Him

On Friday, FSU Transfer Forward Jerry Deng committed to NC State. I caught up with him the next day to get his take on his decision to run with the Wolfpack.

What was it about NC State that led to your commitment?

Coach Wade  just had a great plan for what he wanted to be done next year, you know. His track record of putting guys in the league and winning really attracted me.

Your commitment kind of came out of nowhere for NC State fans. What was your recruitment like after entering the Portal?

Really, I just kept my recruitment quiet, just by design.

I just wanted to find the right situation. I wasn’t really trying to go on a lot of visits and stuff like that. I just wanted to find the right situation to commit, and I feel like that was the best way for me to go about it.

NC State reached out pretty early. We just had talks and conversations that built up, and then once I saw that they looked like they had the best plan, I took the visit and committed. They were the only school I visited.

How big of a decision did Will Wade getting hired change your view of the possibility of NC State? What was his pitch of how you fit into his system?

He’s had guys like me before, and he works well with them. My skill set really stood out to him, and how I played against the better teams. He was drawn to that.

He just felt like, with his system, I could flourish, honestly. He feels like I’ve got a lot of stuff untapped that I could reach into and become a more well-rounded basketball player. He could help me get there, and he’s done it before, so I know he wasn’t just talking.

Take us through your visit. What’d you do? What impressed you?

Yeah, it was a great visit. The facilities were beautiful. The city was beautiful, first of all, all the trees and stuff like that. We toured the city.

I worked out over there. We had some lunch at this restaurant Amedeo’s. It was a good visit.

What was Coach Wade’s vision for NC State basketball and his expectations for what he thought was possible next season in his first year?

Man, he’s really just trying to win. With the pieces we’re bringing in. I know it’s been quiet for a little bit, but we got some pieces coming in for sure that’s going to help us be competitive.

The way his system is, it’s going to elevate all of us. He’s done it at McNeese, VCU and LSU. Top conferences and middle conferences. His style has proven that if he gets the right guys, his guys, like he said, and he feels like I’m one of his guys that he likes to recruit, then he feels like we could be successful for sure.

What are your thoughts on the roster he’s put together so far, and how do you think you can be a part, personally, of helping finish out the filling up of this roster?

Definitely going to try to do my due diligence, seeing who they’re looking at and try to reach out to them. Coach Wade knows what he’s talking about. I feel like overall right now, we’ve got a great starting point.

Great point guard with Tre Holloman and Quadir Copeland, making both interchangeable. Arceneaux is a great defender. We got Langdon from Butler.

We got Paul McNeil. We’ve got to recruit guys that are proven and that are willing to work. I know a couple of guys personally. Just dogs, and I feel like that’s all you need.

A team full of dogs, and you’ll be good.

What type of player is NC State getting in Jerry Deng?

I feel like they’re getting a super ultra versatile player to play either forward spot. I can guard and deny guards, any position really. I feel like with the steps I’m taking this summer to work on my game, just to round out my weaknesses, I feel like your going to be able to see a more complete player next year. Now I got my feet wet in the ACC, but I can make a huge impact on winning as far as being a leader and stuff like that.

Being able to lead the young guys. Like, I was just in the gym with Matt Able yesterday. So just taking those guys, the freshmen under my wing, just showing that you’ve got to come with it every day at practice.

The ability to score the ball, make plays for others. I feel like that’s what I’m bringing to NC State.

Can Matt Able shoot the ball?

Yeah, yeah.

We were playing three-on-three yesterday. He was shooting it, for sure.

You’re 6’9″ and it seems like you have proven that you can shoot the three. How big of a mismatch do you think that that creates for people guarding you, that you have that outside shot?

Oh, definitely. I feel like at 6’9″, not only can I shoot the three, I didn’t really get to show it a lot this year, but I’m faster than a lot of guys my size, too. So I feel like I can take guys off the dribble, attack, close out. The shot sets up everything, because they have to close out fast.

So I’m able to pump, get to the rim, draw one, kick, you know what I’m saying, stuff like that. They’re going to be able to see more next year. So I feel like that creates a mismatch.

I can also go in the post, see it in the film.

I’m told I’m just a basketball player. I can play anywhere, you know?

You mentioned earlier becoming a well-rounded player. What are some of those things you really are looking to work on this offseason to make you a holistic player?

Definitely watching a lot of film. I feel like mental is a big part of it. Tightening up my handles.

Then just keep working on my shot, because you can always perfect that.

When you go from Hampton to FSU to here, starting at Hampton, how do you feel like starting from a smaller school to coming to the ACC to now going to NC State, how does that build a player’s character and resilience to start at a lower level and then find yourself here?

I feel like it just gives you the courage to keep working.

If you can do that, go from one of the smallest conferences to one of the biggest conferences in the nation, I feel like that just gives you the ultimate confidence that the sky’s the limit and it happens so fast. So, just knowing that if you keep your head down and work, anything can happen. I feel like I’ve been through a lot, so that just builds my mental to where I feel like anything I can do is possible.