By Noah Fleischman
Now that NC State’s season is over after a thrilling run to the Final Four at State Farm Stadium just outside of Phoenix, it’s time to take a look at the Wolfpack’s roster moving forward. Here’s a breakdown of everyone currently slated to be a part of the red and white’s roster next season, ranked in tiers based on their role.
Note: all college class years reflect next year’s school year
NC State’s core pieces: Michael O’Connell, Mohamed Diarra, Brandon Huntley-Hatfield
The two breakout stars of NC State’s nine-game winning streak, graduate guard Michael O’Connell and senior forward Mohamed Diarra proved they are quality pieces to build around.
O’Connell, a former Stanford transfer, averaged 5.7 points with 3.2 assists and 3.4 rebounds a game with the Pack this season. But his biggest impact came when he unlocked his scoring ability in the postseason.
The Mineola, N.Y., native had just three games with double figures in the regular season, but he had six such efforts in the Pack’s postseason elimination games. That included five straight double-digit scoring outputs in the ACC Tournament with a pair of 16-point efforts. O’Connell was also able to create for others with at least 3 assists in all but three of the 10 postseason games.
While O’Connell established himself as the Pack’s primary point guard moving forward, Diarra made a good case to be kept in the starting lineup. He appeared in 40 games with 22 starts this season.
The former Missouri transfer tapped into a part of his game not seen since he played at Garden City Community College two years ago. Diarra averaged 6.3 points with 7.8 rebounds a game for the Wolfpack, but in the postseason, he was on another level. The 6-foot-10 forward logged 9.0 points with 11.2 rebounds per contest as he fasted during Ramadan.
If Kevin Keatts wants to stick with starting a pair of forwards, which got the Wolfpack to the Final Four, next season, then Diarra will be one of those players. The Frenchman proved he could play with anyone down the stretch, and his toughness will be key in next season’s ability to build off the Final Four appearance.
The other forward who will likely slide into the center spot is Louisville transfer Brandon Huntley-Hatfield. He committed to the Wolfpack in the middle of the team’s run to the Final Four and is an impactful addition to the team’s lineup.
Huntley-Hatfield made 32 starts with the Cardinals this past season with 12.9 points and 8.4 rebounds a game on 56.7 percent shooting from the field. The forward will give NC State a traditional big man in the paint who is capable of elite scoring and rebounding efforts. He had eight double-doubles this past season at Louisville, and if he can replicate that again with the Wolfpack, that will help create an elite frontcourt during the 2024-25 season.
NC State’s role players: Ben Middlebrooks, Jayden Taylor, Dennis Parker Jr.
The Wolfpack also found quality role players in the transfer portal that played integral defensive roles during the run to the Final Four. Senior forward Ben Middlebrooks and senior guard Jayden Taylor each made their presence felt throughout the season.
Middlebrooks, a former Clemson transfer, averaged 5.7 points with 4.4 rebounds a game for the Wolfpack this season as the sixth man down the stretch. He was key in keeping the frontcourt fresh and provided excellent minutes off the bench.
The Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., native played in all 41 games with three starts this season. His biggest impact was on the defensive end, being able to hold his own with any forward he matched up with in the country. Middlebrooks played the best defense of anyone who went up against Purdue’s Zach Edey in the Final Four, and he will likely return in that role off the bench next season.
Taylor, meanwhile, played in all 41 games with 29 starts this past season. He was in the first five for much of the regular season, but when Keatts shook up the starting lineup, Taylor was sent to the bench. He flourished in that reserve role, allowing himself to see the game before being inserted as one of the Wolfpack’s top on-ball defenders.
The former Butler transfer averaged 11.2 points with 3.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.1 steals a game for the red and white. He will have an opportunity to return to the Wolfpack’s starting lineup as a wing next season, but while it is unlikely, he could look to enter the transfer portal to find a bigger role elsewhere.
As of now, it is expected that Taylor will return to the Wolfpack and will provide elite defense on the perimeter next season.
Sophomore wing Dennis Parker Jr. did not play in the team’s final 11 games. He was out with an illness for 10 of them, but did dress for the Final Four loss to Purdue.
Parker, a former four-star recruit, made 29 appearances with 12 starts in his rookie season. He averaged 4.7 points with 3.2 rebounds and 0.7 steals. He has an opportunity to carve out a starting role next season on the wing with a solid summer of development.
Parker flashed during the nonconference slate of the regular season, but his minutes dwindled during ACC play. He had five games in double-figure scoring, and his breakout performance came in a 76-60 win over Virginia on Jan. 6 with 15 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the field.
If Parker can bottle up that effort and provide consistent scoring, either off the bench or in a starting role, he will become a significant part of the team’s rotation moving forward.
Back end of NC State’s roster: Breon Pass, Ernest Ross, Kam Woods
This is a group that has shown flashes at times, but was not in the rotation down the stretch as Keatts used seven players on a consistent basis. Senior guard Breon Pass had the biggest impact of this quartet with 4 points and a steal in nine minutes off the bench in the Final Four.
Outside of that appearance, Pass played just three minutes in the NCAA Tournament. He logged a season-best 22 minutes in the Pack’s ACC Tournament first round win over Louisville, playing as a reserve while graduate guard DJ Horne was out with a hip injury. Pass scored 6 points with an assist in that appearance.
While Pass found run as a reserve point guard, senior forward Ernest Ross did not create that niche for himself this past season. He appeared in just 14 games, down from the 34 he played in during the 2022-23 campaign.
Ross averaged 0.3 points with 0.4 rebounds and made just two baskets all season. He did score in two minutes against North Carolina in the ACC Championship game at the end of the first half to spell NC State’s forwards that were in foul trouble. Ross is a likely candidate for the transfer portal after his role decreased in his junior campaign at NC State.
Senior guard Kam Woods, a two-time transfer waiver recipient, appeared in 13 games with the Wolfpack after he became eligible to play. He averaged 1.2 points in just 7.4 minutes on the floor. If he can work his way into the rotation, Woods has the opportunity to be an elite scorer. He averaged 17.4 points in 31 appearances at North Carolina A&T during the 2022-23 season.
TBD: Paul McNeil, Trey Parker, MJ Rice
This group is full of unknowns. Freshman wing Paul McNeil, a top-60 recruit, has the opportunity to compete for a starting role in his debut season.
McNeil set the all-time North Carolina High School Athletic Association single-game scoring record with a 71-point performance on Jan. 16 for Rockingham (N.C.) Richmond High. He was a McDonald’s All-American Game nominee this season, and he boasts a state Gatorade Player of the Year award from his sophomore year.
Freshman guard Trey Parker, meanwhile, is the No. 114 recruit in the Class of 2024 after he spent another season at Atlanta (Ga.) Overtime Elite. He averaged 10.3 points with 4.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists this past year with the OTE Cold Hearts.
Outside of the two incoming first-year players, junior wing MJ Rice could be an impact player if he is with the team next season. He appeared in nine games this past season with 4.1 points and 1.9 rebounds before he elected to redshirt the rest of the season due to personal reasons. At this moment, it is expected that he will return for the 2024-25 season with the Wolfpack.
The former McDonald’s All-American has the potential to be an All-ACC caliber talent if he is on the court. That version of Rice would be a much-needed impact next season if he is with the team in a full capacity.
Other Notes
Open scholarships: 1
NC State has room for one more player at the moment, but that number will likely grow to at least two and could get as high as four depending on transfer portal entries. The Wolfpack will need to add a scorer from the transfer portal and likely another wing.
Already in the portal: LJ Thomas
Out of eligibility: Casey Morsell, DJ Burns, DJ Horne
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