Roster Reset: Projecting NC State men’s basketball 2024-25 rotation
NC State men’s basketball is back on campus after a short stint away, working to build off its first Final Four appearance since 1983. It is a new-look team on the court after Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts brought in four transfers to play key roles during the 2024-25 campaign.
The Wolfpack has a veteran-laden roster with eight players entering their final year of eligibility. That, in turn, could be a positive for the red and white having a bevy of experienced players on the roster. But this summer is crucial for their chemistry together as they prepare for November’s season opener.
Here is a look at the Wolfpack’s projected rotation for the 2024-25 season.
Point guard
Starter: Graduate Michael O’Connell
Primary reserves: Senior Breon Pass, senior Marcus Hill
O’Connell was the engine that made NC State’s offense run in the postseason. His ability to create for others allowed the Wolfpack’s shooters to find their spots, and he would find them with ease. O’Connell’s offensive game clicked in the postseason, too, scoring in double figures in six games after doing so just three times in the regular season. He averaged 9.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists in the Pack’s 10 postseason games.
And when O’Connell picked up an injury in the Wolfpack’s Final Four loss to Purdue, his impact on the court was evident. O’Connell is a sure-fire starter for the Wolfpack moving into his final year of eligibility.
Pass’ minutes were up and down during the regular season, playing more than 10 minutes just twice. But when the postseason began, he was an effective backup when his number was called. Pass played a season-best 22 minutes in the ACC Tournament opener against Louisville and scored 6 points with a steal and an assist. He followed that up with less than seven minutes a game across the rest of the tournament until the Final Four. Pass scored 4 points with a steal and a rebound in nine minutes against Purdue.
The Reidsville, N.C., native showed flashes of being a capable backup option at point guard for the Wolfpack. If he can build off that postseason play this summer, Pass could become a often-used reserve to give O’Connell a break at times.
Shooting guard
Starter: Senior Marcus Hill
Primary reserves: Senior Jayden Taylor, freshman Trey Parker
NC State went into the transfer portal looking for a scorer. It found that in Bowling Green’s Hill, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound shooting guard. The former junior college standout was among the nation’s best in scoring the ball in his first year at the Division I level with the Falcons.
Hill averaged 20.5 points on 44.3% shooting from the floor this past season. He led the MAC in total points (698), field goals made (255) and total minutes (1,236), while finishing 6th in the NCAA in field goals made, 14th in total points, 20th in minutes played and 27th in points per game.
Although he filled the bucket by getting to the rim — drawing an immense amount of fouls en route to taking 219 free throws — and his mid-range game, NC State will look to develop Hill’s three-point shot. If he can get that to consistently fall, the guard has a chance to build off what DJ Horne did this past season for the Wolfpack as the scorer.
While Hill projects as the starter, Taylor will give the Wolfpack a punch off the bench — just as he did down the stretch and in the postseason. The former Butler transfer averaged 11.2 points with 3.6 rebounds in 27.4 minutes a game this past season.
Taylor has the ability to get going in a hurry, and he displayed that with six 20-plus point games. He will likely see 20-24 minutes a game, but if he can impact the game with his scoring and his stout defense, NC State’s backcourt will be able to keep up with any in the country.
Parker, a 20-year-old freshman, spent a prep year at Overtime Elite, where he averaged 10.3 points , 4.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 23.1 minutes a game. He will work to break into the routine rotation this summer, but his high-flying dunks will have fans on their feet this season when he is in the game.
Wing
Starter: Redshirt junior Mike James
Primary reserves: Junior MJ Rice, sophomore Dennis Parker Jr., freshman Paul McNeil
Replacing Casey Morsell will not be easy, but NC State went and found a wing that has the ability to score at the same clip — possibly even more consistently. Louisville’s Mike James fit the mold for the Wolfpack, averaging 12.6 points and 5.0 rebounds a game this past season with the Cardinals.
James brings experience — 64 consecutive starts in two seasons at Louisville — to the roster, while also being able to score fairly consistently. He had 13 straight double-digit scoring games from late November to early January at Louisville, including a 26-point outburst at Miami with five made triples. The 6-foot-5 wing brings length to the Pack lineup, which is likely to be long and can defend the perimeter with anyone.
While James slides into the starting spot, the Wolfpack has options as his primary reserve. Junior MJ Rice, a former McDonald’s All-American, averaged 4.1 points and 1.9 rebounds in nine games before he redshirted the rest of the year due to personal reasons. His upside is immense and the talent is there. If Rice can put together a complete summer, he’s likely to have an immediate impact in the 2024-25 season.
Parker, meanwhile, was a starter at the beginning of this past season in a small-ball lineup at the power forward spot. He can play there — and is a primary reserve — but the wing spot could be a better fit for him moving forward. Parker averaged 4.7 points with 3.2 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 29 games during his first season with the Wolfpack.
The Richmond, Va., native missed the last 11 games of the year with an illness, but he was ready to play in the Final Four, if needed. Another summer under Parker’s belt will be useful. NC State coach Kevin Keatts likes Parker’s talent and his ceiling, so he is sure to see time on the floor, either on the wing or at power forward.
McNeil, who holds the North Carolina high school scoring record, has a shot to break into the rotation this season with his ability to score the basketball. Keep an eye on the incoming four-star recruit as he looks to make a positive impression in Raleigh early on.
Power forward
Starter: Senior Dontrez Styles
Primary reserves: Junior MJ Rice, sophomore Dennis Parker Jr.
Speaking of length, Georgetown transfer Dontrez Styles filled that need with his 6-foot-6, 212-pound frame at the four spot. The former UNC forward averaged 12.8 points with 5.8 rebounds in 33.5 minutes a night with the Hoyas this past season.
Styles shot 43% from the field at Georgetown and he was able to do a little bit of everything with the Hoyas. He had a 47.4% clip inside the arc with a 36.8% mark from beyond the arc. Styles was also a capable defender, allowing him to fit into Keatts’ system of complete effort on that end of the floor.
Center
Starter: Senior Brandon Huntley-Hatfield
Primary reserves: Senior Ben Middlebrooks, senior Ernest Ross
Replacing DJ Burns’ offensive production — especially his elite passing skill set — was always going to be tough. But Keatts and his staff didn’t go into the portal looking for another Burns, instead they wanted to get the best center they could win over.
That was Huntley-Hatfield, Louisville’s top forward from the past two seasons. He committed to the Wolfpack during the team’s Final Four run, becoming the first transfer portal pickup of the year.
While Huntley-Hatfield isn’t Burns, he was Louisville’s most consistent player this past season. The center averaged 12.9 points and 8.4 rebounds with the Cardinals with eight double-doubles. He will slot in as the Wolfpack’s starting center the 2024-25 season.
While Huntley-Hatfield will begin the games on the court, NC State backup, Middlebrooks, carved out his role as the sixth man with 5.7 points and 4.4 rebounds a game. He impressed during the postseason with three double-digit scoring games, including a 21-point effort in the NCAA Tournament first round against Texas Tech.
Middlebrooks will provide a solid front court rotation and Ross will be the third option at center. Although he did not play in a consistent role, Ross scored the final 2 points of the first half in the ACC Championship game against North Carolina, a momentum-swinging bucket for the Pack.
Ross initially entered the transfer portal and committed to UTSA, but he elected to return to the Wolfpack and provide depth to the roster. He will also be a pivotal piece of the red and white’s locker room with his infectious positive attitude.
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