PORTAL UPDATE: NC State adds 6’9 Euro, 7-Foot Opurum update, and what will the starting line up look like?

Last week, NC State added two new pieces in Jacari Brim and Comeh Emuobor. These were depth guys who likely wouldn’t see a ton of minutes. It seemed as if recruiting was quieting down, and NC State was going to go into the season mostly with the roster they had in place (aside from some backups). But that turned out to be wrong as this week we got a big-time commit, some new intel on another impact player. Here’s what we’re hearing…

Last Week’s Guard Additions
NC State added Brim and Emuober, who big bodied guards who were more than likely going to be depth pieces for this roster. Because of that, we didn’t run another Portal Update after those announcements. We did however, talk about them indepth in our recent podcast, so if you want to really get to know those guys, check that out. 

For a quick rundown, these are both Raleigh guys who are coming home and who were very low-cost or free. Brim put up elite stats in high school, but just never really got a ton of attention from high-major schools. He went to App State and didn’t play much there (to his credit, their coach rarely plays freshmen). But Brim is athletic and strong, and he’s definitely a guy who can give you a few minutes in a pinch.

The same goes with Emuober. He’s a 6’5 guard who loves to play physical and get downhill. He’s not a good shooter, but he can give you minutes if you need him to. Both of these guys, to me, project as guys that Gainey is taking a flyer on offensively, but feels like he can mold into very good defenders. Their athleticism, frame, and motor all point to that. That said, we were told Coach Goins (offensive coordinator) likes both of these guys, so maybe there is some offense to unlock.

NC State adds 6’9 Slovenian Forward, Robert Jurkovic
The cat is out of the bag. NC State was working on two high-end players from overseas, and they got across the finish line with Jurkovic. This is a massive add, and someone who slots into Gainey’s system perfectly. He shot over 40% from 3, he’s a great finisher at the rim, and he’s even a good passer. He’s like a more athletic, taller Ilian Evtimov (for all you older Pack fans).

NC State’s hiring of Ogi Vasilijevic (assistant coach) helped immensely here. The commitment of Jurkovic likely ends the recruitment of the other big man from overseas, as they both were 4-men with better athleticism than State currently has there right now.

One question we’ve gotten is whether or not Jurkovic slots in over Yalaho at the 4. I’m not sure. I do think the fact that Jurkovic is 23 and he’s been competing at a very high level over there (one of Europe’s toughest leagues + on the Slovenian National Team with Luka Doncic) could give him an edge, but I fully believe the staff will have this as an open comeptition to win the starting role.

What about that 7-footer from Auburn, Emeka Opurum?
Opurum was on campus last week, and then it went dark. State added the 2 guards, and now Jurkovic, leading many fans to wonder if he’s off the table. Well, I’m here to tell you he’s not. While Jurkovic can play some 5, NC State is viewing him as a power forward. They view the 5 as a rim-protector and Opurum fits that mold well. NC State is still working on getting this done, and hey, maybe we’ll hear something by the end of the day. Who knows? If they can do that, then I’d assume they are pretty much done with any significant additions.

What will the starting line-up look like?
Oh man, this is getting hard to predict, but everyone is asking, so I’ll take a shot.

I believe Edmead is most likely your starting point guard. However, I am not ruling out Darius Adams making a run at this position at some point. He’s big, creates rim pressure, and could score it in high school. If he can become more efficient, then he’s got a shot to start (Gainey reportedly really likes him), but this is likely Edmead’s job to lose. He’s so good off the dribble (shooting percentage was one of the best nationally) that you don’t really want to put him anywhere else.

At the two, I think it’ll be hard to knock Christian Hammond off here. He’s tall, he can score, and he’s efficient. If Adams emerges, you could see Emead get some off-ball minutes, but again, I don’t think that’s going to be your first choice. The wildcard here is Paul McNeil Jr. We’ll see how much better he can be off the bounce. I know the staff will be trying to make him more of a multi-dimensional scorer, but how fast will he pick that up and is his handle good enough?

McNeil Jr, while mentioned at the 2 just a second ago, is almost certainly playing the 3 for NC State. They paid huge money for him, and they want to be a dominant shooting team. The best way to do that is to have all your shooters on the floor. That’d be Edmead, Hammond and P2. However, you also have RJ Keene who is going to find his way onto the floor. For Keene, his Swiss Army Knife style will have him jumping anywhere from the 2 to the 4.

At the 4 you have a battle. Both Yalaho and Jurkovich profile similarly. They are both pick-and-roll / pick-and-pop guys who can shoot it at a high clip from deep. Yalaho will give you more beef and physicality in the middle, while Jurk will give you more bounce and more experience. Then you have Mikey Wilkins, who

At the 5, you’ll have Kyle Evans, and right now his backups would be Jurkovic and Mikey Wilkins, but I know they are working hard to bring in Opurum (the 7-footer). If they can land him, he’s immediately going to be in the mix for starter minutes. I believe Evans gives you more versatility, but Opurum is massive, so it will be interesting. I’d go Evans right now, but I also believe against large teams you could see both big guys on the blocks (assuming they can get it done with Opurum or another 7 footer).