National Insider Predicts NC State Basketball Starting Lineup
On Monday, CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein published his ACC offseason breakdown on College Hoops Today. Kevin Keatts' eighth NC State basketball team, looking to build on the momentum from the program's unforgettable Cinderella ACC Tournament title and Final Four run after finishing No. 10 in the 2023-24 conference standings, appears at No. 6 in his power rankings for the conference, sitting below No. 5 Miami, No. 4 Clemson, No. 3 Wake Forest, No. 2 Duke, and No. 1 UNC.
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As Rothstein sees it, only two players from the 2023-24 NC State basketball squad will be in the 2024-25 starting five in Michael O'Connell and Jayden Taylor. Even so, he expects Keatts to employ a veteran cast of starters:
- Graduate guard Michael O’Connell
- Senior guard Jayden Taylor
- Senior guard Marcus Hill (transfer from Bowling Green)
- Senior guard/forward Dontrez Styles (transfer from Georgetown, previously at UNC)
- Senior forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (transfer from Louisville, previously at Tennessee)
Rothstein's All-ACC Preseason First Team does not include any Wolfpack talents.
And the 2024 NC State basketball recruiting haul, consisting of composite four-star guards Paul McNeil, Bryce Heard, and Trey Parker, is absent from Rothstein's 10 Impact ACC Freshmen.
One of the three projected Wolfpack starters from the transfer portal, Huntley-Hatfield, is on the list of 15 ACC Impact Transfers. However, neither of the other two, not to mention former Louisville guard Mike James, is even among Rothstein's 15 ACC Under-The-Radar Transfers.
Nor is any NC State basketball player on his list of 10 ACC Breakout Players.
In other words, it looks Jon Rothstein isn't all that high on the Wolfpack's newcomers as a group.
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Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of NC State Wolfpack on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining NC State Wolfpack on SI in 2024, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.