NC State does have 1 scholarship available, and could still add a player out of the Transfer Portal. With that being said, the roster for the Men’s Basketball team is pretty much set for the 2024-25 season.
Non-graduates had to enter the Transfer Portal by April 30th, and Graduates had to enter by May 1st. Jayden Taylor and Michael O’Connell both made public announcements that they were returning, but the closure of entrance to the Portal means that Breon Pass, Ben Middlebrooks, Dennis Parker Jr. and MJ Rice are all set to return next season.
In a world where the Transfer Portal has all but become free agency in College Basketball, with some players switching schools on an annual basis, it’s encouraging that Kevin Keatts not only recruited a Top-10 Transfer Class, but also recruited a majority of the eligible players to stay. Three players that could transfer entered the Portal (I’m not counting Mohamed Diarra in these numbers, who opted to go pro), while 6 opted to continue running with the Wolfpack.
As a result, below is a breakdown of the roster for the NC State Men’s Basketball team heading into 2024-25, realizing the Wolfpack could still add one player (this team is deep).
1 year of Eligibility
Guard Michael O’Connell
Guard Marcus Hill
Guard Breon Pass
Guard/Forward Jayden Taylor
Forward/Guard Dontrez Styles
Forward Ben Middlebrooks
Center Brandon Huntley-Hatfield
2 Years of Eligibility
Guard/Forward MJ Rice
Guard Mike James
Guard Jordan Snell (Walk-On)
Guard KJ Keatts (Walk-On)
3 Years of Eligibility
Guard/Forward Dennis Parker Jr.
4 Years of Eligibility
Guard Paul McNeil
Guard Trey Parker
Keatts also said that Ross contacted him the day of the surgery and asked if it was okay for him to attend the game. Great to hear that commitment.
If Manny really does come back, next year we’d have a nice combination of experience and youth at the 4 & 5.
If Manny comes back, Ross, Ebe and Gantt are still here, then we go from being devoid of big man skill and experience to having serious depth.
The opposite might happen with our big guards, but we should still have Smith, Morsell. and Pass at an absolute minimum (plus any freshman). Hayes should figure things out, and Seabron will likely hear very positive love calls from the league.
On the down side, Seabron has watched several of his teammates succumb to injuries. A good reason the listen to those NBA sirens. However, personal achievements aside, maybe he will decide to return so that he can be part of a successful team and finish unfinished business.