What NC State basketball’s current 2024-25 roster looks like and what’s next for Wolfpack
College basketball’s transfer portal closed Wednesday, meaning players no longer have the option to leave their current school and play immediately elsewhere.
Following its run to the Final Four and before the May 1 deadline, NC State basketball had three players — Ernest Ross, Kam Woods and LJ Thomas — enter the transfer portal.
As of Wednesday, Louisville transfers Mike James and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, along with Bowling Green transfer Marcus Hill and Georgetown transfer Dontrez Styles have been added via the portal.
DJ Horne, DJ Burns and Casey Morsell — a trio of starters — exhausted their eligibility and Mohamed Diarra plans to pursue professional opportunities. Head coach Kevin Keatts still has one scholarship remaining to complete the Wolfpack’s roster, which includes returning guards Michael O’Connell and Jayden Taylor.
Following the closure of the transfer portal, here are five observations about the current state of NC State basketball’s 2024-25 roster and what could be next for the Wolfpack.
Michael O’Connell, Jayden Taylor are NC State’s returning veterans
N.C. State lost its leader in the backcourt with Raleigh native DJ Horne exhausting his eligibility, but the Wolfpack returns its top passer and top perimeter defender from a Final Four squad. O’Connell led the team with a career-best 130 assists and shot a career-high 37.5% from 3-point range last season. Taylor filled a variety of roles, ultimately ending the season as State’s sixth man. He averaged 11.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and shot 36.4% from beyond the arc. Both players will be key pieces next season.
Ben Middlebrooks, Brandon Huntley-Hatfield are Wolfpack’s top post options
The Wolfpack lost an efficient scorer and elite passer in Burns, and saw a postseason double-double machine in Diarra choose to go pro. Those losses place a heavier burden on returning big man Ben Middlebrooks, who averaged 5.7 points and 4.6 rebounds as a junior, and transfer Brandon Huntley-Hatfield. The former Louisville forward figures to be N.C. State’s primary scoring option in the post after averaging 12.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game last season.
Dontrez Styles takes versatility from UNC to Georgetown to NC State
Kinston native Dontrez Styles made a big shot against Baylor as a freshman that helped UNC continue its run toward the Final Four, but he played sparingly for the Tar Heels. After transferring to Georgetown, Styles averaged 12.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. His athleticism, along with his defensive versatility and rebounding ability, should make him a perfect piece for N.C. State’s puzzle.
Mike James, Marcus Hill, Paul McNeil will be relied on as scorers
With Horne and Morsell no longer in the mix, NC State needed to add some depth at guard. Keatts did so with transfer Mike James and Marcus Hill, along with freshman Paul McNeil. Hill averaged more than 20 points per game at Bowling Green, James was efficient at knocking down shots and getting to the free-throw line at Louisville, and McNeil brings a scorer’s mentality to Raleigh after a storied career at Richmond Senior High School in Rockingham.
Will ECU transfer Ezra Ausar pick the Wolfpack?
The departures of Burns and Diarra opened up some spots in the frontcourt for the Wolfpack, which could be close to filling the gap with East Carolina’s Ezra Ausar. Kevin Keatts put in work early during the transfer portal madness, and he can complete the haul by landing the 6-foot-8 forward. Ausar averaged 11.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last season for the Pirates.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NC State basketball roster 2024-25 update after transfer portal closed
