Boise State coach heaps on the praise for NC State’s new commit “RJ Keene is simply a winning player.”

NC State just landed a commitment from a 6’7 senior you’ve never heard of. His name is RJ Keene, and he played for Boise State. Some probably saw the news and wondered what we were doing, bringing in a 2 ppg guard with 9 roster spots still open.

But if you know who is working behind the scenes to put this team together, you immediately start digging. And what you found made you feel a heck of a lot different about Keene.

First off, one of the most trusted metrics gurus out there, Evan Miyakawa, called RJ “the best player in college basketball that doesn’t score.” His traditional stat line isn’t all that hot, but look at his advanced analytics, and the numbers start popping. We just released an article on those comments and these stats.

But there’s a subset of fans who aren’t yet believers in advanced data. That’s fine, but that advanced data almost always ends up having a tangible output. Here is Boise State assistant coach Mike Burns talking about that output.

Words from RJ’s Coach at Boise State ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/J6QvO3gLGn

— Locked On Wolfpack (@LO_Wolfpack) April 24, 2026

Here are his full quotes…

“I think the greatest compliment you could give RJ Keene, and the thing that would mean the most to him, is you could just say, RJ Keene is simply a winning player. That’s what he is. When he’s on the floor, he’s making winning plays. If I were miked up on the bench, while he’s flying around, deflecting balls, tipping rebounds, doing… I mean, he fills a stat sheet in such a unique way. A guy that literally does not need to take a shot. His energy, his toughness, it equates to winning. And he’s been around it for so long. And he’s a member of that 2022 championship team, you know, that won both the regular season and postseason. He was a part of that. And uniquely a part of that as a freshman, because his personality and his work ethic, and all that he brings to the table, outside of the basketball realm, were infectious even back then. So he’s been a key part of this program, and a key part of winning in this program for a long time.”

“I’m going to remember RJ as the person. Like, who he is, and how enjoyable he is to be around. He’s full of life. He’s so funny. He’s so witty. And it’s just been a joy to really, really bond with RJ and get to know who he is. And what I’ve discovered over these years is RJ is a winner. In RJ’s heart, he wants everyone to win. He wants everyone to enjoy themselves when they’re winning. And he will sacrifice, you know, whatever it is. His body, his soul, his individual attention, whatever. He will sacrifice that for winning. For winning at all costs for the team. And that’s what he provides, and that’s what he does.”

“And when RJ is around, it may not be on time. It may be right at the very last moment, but he’s going to figure out a way to win. When I think of RJ on the basketball court, I think of the pass that he threw in the Mountain West Tournament last year. One of the best passes in a late-game situation that I’ve ever seen. Throws the length of the court pass and hits Andrew Meadow right in stride. Andrew dunks the ball and kind of puts us over the hump in that game against New Mexico.”

“And when I think of RJ Keene at Boise State, my mind always kind of flashes back to that play first and foremost. As a coach, you appreciate guys like RJ Keene because you understand the sacrifice they’re making and you understand that they’re in the boat with you. They got both oars in the water and they’re on the same path that you are in terms of trying to win. And RJ Keene, he’s that guy. He’s the consummate team guy and the consummate blue guy chasing winning.”

“What that really means is in this modern era of basketball, a lot of guys are chasing numbers and chasing stats and he’s chasing one thing, whatever he can do to help the team win. And there’s so many hustle plays and extra effort and throwing his body around, and there’s not many guys in the country like RJ. It’s just a joy to be around him every day. I look forward to seeing what’s next with RJ and what a great journey we’ve had together. Another guy that you’re really proud of and excited to see what’s next for RJ.”