When rumors began trickling out 24- hours ago, State basketball fans’ heads started spinning. If there was one guy that seemed like a “for sure piece” to the 2021 Wolfpack team, it was Manny Bates.
Rumors have been corroborated by everyone from Pack Pride to Joe Giglio. Some think it might end with Bates entering the NBA Draft, others have heard that he has gained interest from other schools with bigger promises. Regardless, with him being the centerpiece of the defense and a great chance to elevate scoring and rebounding without Funderburk, there was mass confusion all around.
To only further muddy the waters, he was reportedly at a team meeting Tuesday afternoon. Craig Hammel, State’s Director of Athletics Communication and SID for the Men’s Basketball team tweeted;
Had the opportunity to meet our new @PackMensBball players today in the first team meeting of the 2021-22 season. Great group of guys. Like this team a lot. Had the entire team there except for Ernest Ross who will join the program for summer session II.
To say this is a fluid situation is an understatement. No official word that Bates has entered the draft, nor had his name placed in the NCAA transfer portal. It does seem interesting, that if he were to leave for either of those situations and in the middle of the biggest State Basketball Twitter storm since Gottfried investigation, that he’d still be attending meetings.
Maybe Keatts can keep him onboard? Maybe it’s just a last appearance? We’ll break news as soon as it becomes available.
Today was the final day graduate players could enter the Portal.
This past season, O’Connell averaged 5.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Wolfpack, starting 22 of the 41 games he played in.
O’Connell took over as NC State’s starting Point Guard on January 30th in a win against Miami.
He only scored in double figures in 9 of his 41 games this season, but 6 of those came in postseason play (5 in the ACC Tournament). O’Connell took things to another level in the ACC Tournament, playing aggressive on the offensive end, looking for his shot, and attacking the rim.
NC State played it’s best basketball of the season when O’Connell was running the show. He ranked 3rd in the ACC in Assist/Turnover Ratio (2.5).
Heading into next season, with a lineup filled with new faces, having the calming presence of a veteran leader like O’Connell is reassuring.
ECU Transfer Power Forward Ezra Ausar (6’9″/240) was on an Official Visit to NC State yesterday, and according to analysts at ON3 and 247Sports, things are trending in the right direction for the Wolfpack.
Jamie Shaw of ON3 submitted a prediction for Ausar to eventually commit to NC State yesterday morning.
Cory Smith of 247Sports submitted a crystal ball projection for Ausar to run with the Wolfpack this morning.
Ausar just wrapped up his Sophomore season in Greenville, averaging 11.4 points and 4.7 rebounds, shooting 51.4% from the field. As a Freshman, he was named to the AAC All-Freshman Team, averaging 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds.
Ausar is a consensus 4-Star prospect in the Transfer Portal, and ON3 ranks him as the #60 overall player in the Portal and the #10 Power Forward.
Originally from Atlanta, Ausar played his Senior Season of High School at Liberty Heights Athletic Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina. ON3 ranked Ausar as a 4-Star prospect coming out of high school, the #94 overall player nationally, and the #2 player in the state of North Carolina.
Ausar has visited Seton Hall, Georgia Tech, met over Zoom with Georgetown, and had an in-home visit with Utah. John Calipari and his staff at Arkansas have been in touch with Ausar, as well as Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Arizona State, West Virginia, Iowa State and St. John’s. (Link)
At this point, it’s good news that Ausar has no visits scheduled after the visit to NC State.
Ausar has 2 years of eligibility remaining, and NC State currently has 1 scholarship remaining.
NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts and the beloved DJ Burns were both Siren Sounders for the Canes this evening, with Carolina defeating the Islanders 6-3, winning the Round 1 series 4-1.
Me: Were you nervous?
Kevin Keatts: No! I just won nine elimination games in the NCAA Tournament!
Let’s hope so. Great news it would be.