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NC State adds Butler CG Jayden Taylor in Transfer Portal

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After a Damian Dunn (Temple SG) chose Houston last week, NC State keyed in on a few other 2 guards, one of which was Jayden Taylor from Butler, who just committed today.

Taylor is a 6’4, 195lb shooting guard who is really versatile and while he might not have the 3 point range that Terquavion Smith had, he still can knock it down from out there and is a lot more selective with his shots from beyond the arc.

Taylor averaged 12 points and 4 rebounds last season, shooting 40% from the floor and 32.6% from deep. He shot 331 shots last season and 138 of those were 3s. He’ll likely be slotting in as a starter in place of Smith who averaged 18 and 4 last year. However, Smith shot 38% from the floor and 33.6% from long range. They are pretty close percentage wise, however Smith shot 547 shots last season and 271 of those were 3s.

For those Pack fans who were frustrated at the volume of shots Smith was taking last year, they’ll like the style of Taylor a little more. He’s not a volume scorer, but he is a very versatile player. He plays physical and likes to attack off the drive, but can get hot from downtown as well.

He’s got a good handle and is a smart basketball player. In fact, many anyalysts believe we haven’t even seen the best of Taylor yet.

Here is Jake Weingarten from Stockrisers.

Taylor will be competing for minutes with Trey Parker, the 2 guard freshman phenom who likely will get a good share of minutes this seaosn as well.

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Papajohn
Papajohn
1 year ago

DJ Horne signed – grad out of ASU – 6’1″ 175.His stat line last season compares very favorably with Jarkel’s last season at Ole Miss. Same size as Joiner. Lower overall FG% on the same number of shots, a little higher 3PT% and took more 3PT shots per game, a little better rebounder, and about the same in assists. TO are exactly the same.

Papajohn
Papajohn
1 year ago
Reply to  Papajohn

Reading up on DJ Horne’s senior season a little more. Looks pretty good.
14 games 4+ reb
13 games 3+ assists
10 games 2+ steals
4 games 20+ points
34 points career high

Dof87
Dof87
1 year ago
Reply to  Papajohn

Horne seems like a solid addition and now we have a pretty full contingent of guards with a range of experience and a variety of sizes. A few more assists on his stat line would be nice, but otherwise I’m very excited.

Bigs situation remains cloudy.

Papajohn
Papajohn
1 year ago

Saw this posted online. This is one solution we have been hearing rumored for Dusan.

“NCAA NIL loophole being used by some college basketball programs, turn scholarship kids into walkons and then give those players NIL money to make up for lack of scholarship.”

Rev
Rev
1 year ago
Reply to  Papajohn

So does that really mean a player could play 8 or 10 years of college ball? I mean Dusan is a good example since he has missed two season due to injuries and his medical cost alone could run $100k. Maybe what you say is not so different . Seemed like Wojo and Spanarkle both played about six years.

Dof87
Dof87
1 year ago
Reply to  Rev

I think even walk ons are limited to 4 years of play (plus 1 covid year for some).

Papajohn
Papajohn
1 year ago
Reply to  Rev

I think what you are asking is, does the player have his ‘5 to play 4’ scholarship and then the option to hang around and play more if we pay NIL money? I don’t know the rulebook that well, but I think we would have seen that happen if it were allowed and players wanted it, and I don’t think we have despite all of our jokes about opposing players being around a long time. And I’m not sure it would appeal to many players. So I suspect your real question is (and all of us want to know), could… Read more »

Dof87
Dof87
1 year ago
Reply to  Papajohn

I don’t think there is anything that relegates a ‘walk on’ to not starting or to be a scout team only team member. Traditionally walk ons are not talented enough to earn scholarship positions and therefore don’t normally play, but the world is changing before our eyes.

Papajohn
Papajohn
1 year ago

The college basketball ‘calendar’ has stretched out a bit. As KK has said, it never really ends anymore. I was curious, so looked up some dates. They shift slightly every year, but this is generally what the calendar looks like. Sep 9 – Nov 6: Recruiting window Oct 15: Basketball practice official start Nov 7 – Apr 3: Basketball season Nov 9 – Nov 16: Early signing period (HS) Nov 11 – Mar 29: Recruiting window Mar 13 – May 11: Transfer notification window Apr 12 – 17: Regular signing period (HS) Apr 21 – 27: Recruiting May-June (ish): NBA… Read more »

Dof87
Dof87
1 year ago
Reply to  Papajohn

Good info. Thanks.
To me the biggest thing at the moment is transfer notification window not ending till May 11. Lots of sheet can happen between now and then.

Dof87
Dof87
1 year ago

I see Cam Hayes has jumped back into the portal.

Rev
Rev
1 year ago
Reply to  Dof87

Wow! That pretty much confirms my opinion about his decision to leave State.

Afterglow
Afterglow
1 year ago
Reply to  Rev

It kind of sucks for someone like Cam. The portal probably gives the false impression that just because you can and it’s easy, means you should and you’ll get more playing time. I suppose that may be the case for some players. Unless of course you just decide that you were playing out of your league and went to a different division.

Dof87
Dof87
1 year ago
Reply to  Afterglow

I wonder how much it could be about NIL money. If you don’t see your NBA prospects as being very good, then why not stretch out college as long as possible and get as much NIL bucks as you can, even if that means a transfer and sitting out another year. Life as a serviceable college basketball player today is pretty darn good, better than it has ever been. On the other side, seeing teammates getting big NIL bucks while you are not getting similar could breed some resentment amongst teammates. And getting big NIL bucks to play could bring… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by Dof87
Papajohn
Papajohn
1 year ago
Reply to  Dof87

I never thought he’d be one of those guys that hops around. Of course, I expected him to be the second coming of Markel, so what do I know? They say the second transfer is not going to be automatic that you get immediate eligibility.

Rev
Rev
1 year ago

My memory is almost as good as my predictions. But I remember when Rice was a four maybe even five star prospect and a lock for State. He ended up going to one of those California not quite professional high schools didn’t he? Wasn’t he the one who also had personal/family issues? I really don’t want anyone with issues like Ian Steere and his dad. That $#it is bad for team chemistry.

Afterglow
Afterglow
1 year ago
Reply to  Rev

I don’t remember Rice at all but that doesn’t mean anything. Maybe things have changed.

Dof87
Dof87
1 year ago
Reply to  Rev

Rice may have some question marks, but as I”ve observed that during the season every kid actually showing up for KK has given it his all and has been a solid teammate even when things aren’t going well. I don’t expect any difference with future recruits or transfers.

Papajohn
Papajohn
1 year ago

MJ Rice just announced he will visit this weekend. He’s scheduling other visits as well, including Pitt, but it sounds like we are first. He’s from Durham. Played one year at Kansas but struggled with a back problem all season.
5 star player, McDonald’s AA, 6’5″ 215, considered going to the G league out of HS. He is a SG, so he would have to play the 4 – he may not like that idea. We may not be a good fit, but he’d be an incredible pick up.

Last edited 1 year ago by Papajohn
wolfpack74
wolfpack74
1 year ago
Reply to  Papajohn

Rice would be nice. No pun intended.

Afterglow
Afterglow
1 year ago
Reply to  wolfpack74

Per one source, El Ellis is MJ Rice’ friend.

Papajohn
Papajohn
1 year ago
Reply to  Afterglow

I heard that too, I can’t decide if that is good, bad or neither one, since neither has committed.
DJ Horne is visiting first and if he signs, we no longer want Ellis. Both are PG with one year remaining eligibility. I think Ellis is going through the NBA feedback process so it may be a while before he decides. My guess is, we won’t wait unless we have no choice.
Unless Rice wants to play forward in a 4 guard offense this season, I suspect he’ll look elsewhere so he can play the 2 or 3.

Last edited 1 year ago by Papajohn
Afterglow
Afterglow
1 year ago
Reply to  Papajohn

Yep. Unless MJ Rice commits, it means little. Even still, not sure how much it would even in El Ellis is his friend.

Rev
Rev
1 year ago

Adding to Papajohn … Miranda IS special. He was ranked in the top 30 of the 2023 class but of course his ranking fell after reclassifying and signing with the Pack 🤨. This kid will see plenty of playing time. On another note, Ben Middlebrooks would be great addition to a team desperate for a replacement for Dusan. I think he would definitely be an upgrade to Ebe. With his connection to Kareem Richardson the Rev prediction is 70% to NCSU. BTW the Rev is correct almost 2% of the time

Papajohn
Papajohn
1 year ago
Reply to  Rev

“almost” 2% of the time. 😂

Afterglow
Afterglow
1 year ago
Reply to  Papajohn

And there’s only a 10% chance of that.

wolfpack74
wolfpack74
1 year ago
Reply to  Rev

Don’t go to Vegas this weekend.

Papajohn
Papajohn
1 year ago

Interesting to throw into the mix. If you read what many are saying online, both Parkers will be serious contributors next season. ‘Hard to keep on the bench’ people are saying, and it has been suggested that Trey might break into the starting lineup in the same way Terquavion did. A scorer. . Add to that, Miranda is special. He will play. I watched him in warmups every home game since he arrived at Christmas, and he’s going to be something. He considered going directly to the NBA. At 7’1″, a heck of an athlete. He has good hands, quickness,… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by Papajohn
wolfpack74
wolfpack74
1 year ago

MUSTAPHA AMZIL from Dayton, why not?

.

Papajohn
Papajohn
1 year ago

Taylor will play the SG, his stats don’t indicate he’s much of a passer. However, just for grins, I just did a comparison of he and Joiner’s last seasons at their respective former schools (Ole Miss & Butler), and the numbers are very similar. Both leading scorers on P6 teams. (remember the Big East had Creighton and UConn this season) The biggest differences between the two being Taylor is 3 inches taller and 15 pounds heavier, and Joiner was a 4 year player. But with two years more years experience, Taylor could be the better player. That bodes well for… Read more »

Dof87
Dof87
1 year ago
Reply to  Papajohn

Seems like a good fit for KK’s style, of course we need to see the rest of the pieces of the puzzle come together. I think its interesting that a teammate of Bates decides to come the NC State, its a sign the Bates isn’t out badmouthing the program or KK, and maybe even speaking highly of it. It seems these days you want to be a portal kids’ first visit and hopefully hook him before he gets a chance to see anything else. It would be really nice to know Dusan’s fate. Not just for us fans but for… Read more »

Papajohn
Papajohn
1 year ago
Reply to  Dof87

Similar thoughts about Dusan. Love the guy, what a great team player. Any delay doesn’t help anyone, and the NCAA is well aware of the chaos (that they caused) going on with the transfer portal right now. We need a decision. Unless we have strong medical reassurance that we can rely on him next season, I think we have to use his scholarship if given the opportunity to pick up a player of his quality. The worst that could happen is we wait, and either the NCAA refuses his medical redshirt or he can’t physically play if he does get… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by Papajohn
Dof87
Dof87
1 year ago
Reply to  Papajohn

Maybe if he gets cleared he could walk on and pay his tuition with NIL money.

Papajohn
Papajohn
1 year ago
Reply to  Dof87

Yep, that’s the rumor floating around

Rev
Rev
1 year ago
Reply to  Dof87

I don’t think he has any eligibility left without the NCAA approval.

wolfpack74
wolfpack74
1 year ago
Reply to  Papajohn

Did we lose Dunn due to the money? I read an earlier article where he was very serious about accepting the position at State. Georgetown must have some real buck to share.

Papajohn
Papajohn
1 year ago
Reply to  wolfpack74

No idea, but that’s where my head goes every time we lose a player we expect to have a shot at. That 7’ kid that went to Florida still kills me.

wolfpack74
wolfpack74
1 year ago
Reply to  Papajohn

We have five guards now counting Morsell and Parker, how about a couple of forwards. We have the Parker kid coming in, but we need someone with experience to help.

Papajohn
Papajohn
1 year ago
Reply to  wolfpack74

We have a 6’10” kid coming this weekend, Ben Middlebrooks, a transfer from Clemson. 2 years experience. Ironically, his career high game (10/7) was the first game against us this season. So KK & Co have seen a lot of him.
My guess is, he fits nicely into the Dusan slot. Same size, two years eligibility remaining.

Last edited 1 year ago by Papajohn
Rev
Rev
1 year ago
Reply to  Papajohn

I think NIL $ impact a lot of decisions, but I tend to think many kids in the portal are looking at competition for playing time. Dusan is a question mark and Burns, Ross, Miranda, and Parker almost certainly will play lots of minutes next year. We need an experienced, shot blocking bruiser who is not afraid to mix it up in practice or games.

NC State Basketball

Georgia Center Transfer Frank Anselem-Ibe Visited NC State this Week

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Georgia Transfer Center Frank Anselem-Ibe (6’10″/215) was in for a visit to NC State yesterday, according to a source.

Anselm-Ibe was at Georgia the past two seasons, and was at Syracuse the two before that.

Back in 2020, Anselm-Ibe was a 4-Star prospect out of Prolific Prep in Georgia. 247Sports ranked him as the #18 player in the state of Georgia.

Anselm-Ibe hit the Portal on April 30th.

ECU Power Forward Transfer Ezra Ausar took an Official Visit to NC State a little over a week ago, and while things were looking good at first, at this point, it seems like things have reached a point of radio silence. From what I’m hearing, NC State would definitely take Ausar, but they aren’t going to wait for him either.

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NC State Basketball

NC State Women’s Basketball Ranks 8th in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early 2024-25 Preseason Top-25

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ESPN released their updated Way-Too-Early Preseason Top-25 for the 2024-25 Women’s Basketball season, and NC State ranked 8th.

8. NC State Wolfpack

The dynamic backcourt that took the Wolfpack to their first Final Four since 1998 returns. Aziaha James (16.8 PPG), Saniya Rivers (12.5 PPG) and Zoe Brooks (9.0 PPG) are enough to keep NC State near the top of a highly competitive ACC. How well a new mix of bigs fits in will determine if the Wolfpack are good enough to win the conference and contend for a trip to Tampa. The experience of River Baldwin and Mimi Collins can’t be replaced, so how well 6-5 recruit Lorena Awou adapts to the college game and 6-4 Boston University transfer Caitlin Weimar, the Patriot League player of the year and two-time defensive player of the year, adjusts to the upgrade in competition will have a big impact on NC State’s season. Previous ranking: 8

(ESPN)

ACC Teams in the Top-25

4. Notre Dame

8. NC State

11. Duke

12. Louisville

17. UNC

18. FSU

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NC State Basketball

The Roster for the NC State Men’s Basketball Team is all but Set Heading into 2024-25

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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

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NC State Basketball

NC State’s Men’s Basketball 2024 Transfer Class Ranks in the Top-10 Nationally

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NC State’s Men’s Basketball team has picked up 4 players from the Transfer Portal this offseason, and the class ranks 10th nationally according to ON3, and 15th nationally according to 247Sports.

ON3

247Sports

NC State’s 2024 4-Man Transfer Class

Center Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (Louisville)

Guard/Forward Dontez Styles (Georgetown)

Guard Mike James (Louisville)

Guard Marcus Hill (Bowling Green)

NC State still has a chance to move up in the rankings. East Carolina Power Forward Ezra Ausar just wrapped up an Official Visit to NC State, and things are looking good for the Wolfpack. ON3 ranks Ausar as the #67 overall player in the Portal, and the #15 Power Forward.

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