The NC State basketball head coach tipped off his Saturday morning by checking in on top-ranked center Sam Funches.

Kevin Keatts and the NC State basketball recruiting staff made an early move in the competition for Sam Funches. They offered the Germantown High School (Mississippi) center a scholarship back in late August, well in advance of his sophomore season.

On Saturday morning, Keatts woke up early to watch Funches play at the MADE Hoops August Live prep showcase in Georgia. The eighth-year Wolfpack head coach wasn’t the only one in attendance for the 8 a.m. game, which featured the 6-foot-11, 220-pound Funches, ranked No. 21 overall and No. 1 among true centers on the 247Sports 2026 Composite. Coaches from Mississippi State, Kansas State, Gonzaga, Ole Miss, Appalachian State, and Abilene Christian were also present, as reported by Jeff Kovner, director of events at MADE Hoops.

https://twitter.com/Jeff_Kovner/status/1812103625109344283?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1812103625109344283%7Ctwgr%5E29e1ee22d7417cbf53dc68c687ce4224d3e1d635%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fncstate%2Fbasketball%2Fnc-state-basketball-kevin-keatts-arrives-huge-recruit-7-13-24

According to the 247Sports Composite, Funches is the top-rated prospect and the sole five-star recruit on Kevin Keatts’ 2026 list of desired recruits.

https://twitter.com/OntheRadarHoops/status/1786159910390055421?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1786159910390055421%7Ctwgr%5E29e1ee22d7417cbf53dc68c687ce4224d3e1d635%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fncstate%2Fbasketball%2Fnc-state-basketball-kevin-keatts-arrives-huge-recruit-7-13-24

The list of offers from NC State basketball has expanded to encompass five individuals, incorporating two additional centers: Latrell Allmond, a four-star player from John Marshall High School (Va.) who received an offer from the Wolfpack six weeks prior to Funches, and Cody Peck, a four-star player from Carmel Christian School (N.C.) who is the most recent addition to Keatts’ recruitment focus.