REPORTS: NC State basketball’s Kevin Keatts Gets Brutally Honest About Magical Final Four Run, Roster Moves

The N.C. State basketball season is still four months away, but the team is already gearing up for what they hope will be another successful year. Head coach Kevin Keatts reflected on the 2023-24 season on Thursday, highlighting the Wolfpack’s surprising journey to win the ACC and reach the Final Four. He also discussed the future, which includes several new transfers and freshmen. Keatts didn’t fully grasp the significance of their achievements until he rewatched the game footage backwards and heard from the fans. Despite ending the regular season with four straight losses, which Keatts humorously claimed was intentional, the team made an impressive run to the Final Four. “I love it. I don’t take it for granted. What our team and our staff did was simply amazing,” Keatts said. “To lose four games at the end of the season, to everybody crying and complaining, to go to the ACC championship and beat five (previous NCAA) champions. Everybody would have been satisfied with that.”

Now, Keatts aims to achieve similar success in the upcoming season. The Wolfpack will include five transfers, two freshmen, and five returning scholarship players. Among the returnees are forward Ben Middlebrooks and guard Michael O’Connell, who were crucial in the Final Four run, as well as 6-6 sophomore guard Dennis Parker, Jr. While the lineup isn’t finalized yet, Keatts and his staff are optimistic about their prospects for the fall. “It’s a marathon and everybody today wants a sprint,” Keatts said. “The teams who may play well early may fall off at the end. We had a great start. If you look at our season, we started off in the ACC with a great win against Notre Dame and then we had an OK [middle] and unbelievable ending. That’s how it was supposed to be like. You’re preparing your team for March…and I just think we locked in everybody playing their role.” Here are Keatts’ thoughts on various team-related topics:

LAST SEASON’S FINAL NINE GAMES
“You could see our confidence grow. Looking back, we made very few mistakes on both offense and defense. Before flying to Washington for the ACC Tournament, we decided to limit our mistakes and play as one unit. I believe our guys did an excellent job of relying on our culture.”

IMPACT OF FINAL FOUR RUN
“Our overall process hasn’t changed, but now more people are paying attention to us. Traditionally, I’ve been known as a coach who gives guards a lot of freedom, but now even post players are noticing us. DJ Burns changed my coaching approach by having us throw the ball inside more often. From a recruiting perspective, we’re still targeting the same types of players.”

KEATTS’ IMPRESSION OF THE RETURNING PLAYERS
“Our returning players have a newfound confidence. We matched them against the new guys a few times, and although the newcomers are very talented, they haven’t played together yet. The returners, like Michael and Ben, are playing at a high level and setting a great example for the new guys.”

WHO IS DEVELOPING INTO A TEAM LEADER
“Michael (O’Connell). It took him almost the entire season, but he finally spoke up during the ACC Tournament. I remember thinking, ‘Who’s that?’ because he was always so quiet.”

THE EXAMPLE RETURNERS ARE SHOWING
“We play with intense effort and compete hard. While we don’t always get everything right, when we’re in sync, we’re very good. Our returning players are setting the standard for the newcomers, showing them our level of competition.”

ON UNC AND GEORGETOWN TRANSFER DONTREZ STYLES
“He’s going to be really good. We recruited him for five years, and after our ACC Championship and Final Four run, he realized we were the best fit for him. He’s a versatile player who can play both three and four positions and shoot well.”

WHETHER ANYONE CAN REPLACE DJ BURNS
“If you watch the Summer League, only the Cavaliers frequently throw the ball inside. DJ was unique and different. During the season, we decided to play through him, essentially having two point guards on the floor. Michael O’Connell and DJ (Horne) played key roles, with DJ making assists from the 3-point line. We’ll never have another player like DJ Burns, with his playing style and personality. Ben (Middlebrooks) and Brandon (Huntley-Hatfield) are more pick-and-pop players who prefer shooting from the 3-point line.”

SIX FORMER NC STATE PLAYERS IN NBA SUMMER LEAGUE
“I’m constantly in touch with them, offering support and encouragement. I don’t give them advice since I’m not their coach anymore, but I support them. Watching them play, I felt like a proud father.”