NC State’s Devon Daniels has longer locks, new tattoos and a new outlook on basketball
Devon Daniels has a pair of new tattoos and a new hairstyle. The junior guard is also hoping for new results this season with N.C. State.
Daniels and the Wolfpack will play their only public preseason game on Sunday (2 p.m., ACC Network Extra) against Mount Olive at PNC Arena.
Fans will notice the new ink on each of Daniels’ shoulders and his longer locks.
“I’m not cutting it anymore,” Daniels said of his hair. “I’m going to let the curls rock out.”
Daniels is going for a new approach on the court, too. He had an uneven sophomore season, his first with the Wolfpack after he transferred from Utah, and it was disappointing by his own standards.
The 6-5, 205-pound guard from Battle Creek, Mich. averaged 9.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Both averages were down from his freshman campaign with the Utes in the Pac-12.
“Personally, I feel like I could have done a lot better,” Daniels said about last season.
Consistency was a problem. He would flash his scoring talent in one game and then lose his confidence.
“Some games, I feel like I was focused on the wrong stuff,” Daniels said.
There was an expected learning curve for Daniels, after he had to sit out the 2017-18 season. His jumper (37 of 119 from the 3-point line) was inconsistent and he had trouble taking care of the ball (56 assists, 66 turnovers).
He was instrumental in N.C. State’s best win of the season, 15 points in the 78-71 win over Auburn, but he struggled in the losses to North Carolina, Duke and Virginia.
A year older and wiser, after going through a season in the ACC, Daniels is feeling more comfortable than he was at the same point last year.
“Definitely,” Daniels said, “I think I’ve grown a lot.”
Expectations for Devon Daniels, CJ Bryce
N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts brought in Daniels and C.J. Bryce (from UNC-Wilmington) during his first year in the program as building blocks.
Bryce had a leg up on Daniels, since he played for Keatts at UNCW. Bryce averaged 11.6 points per game last season. Keatts expects both to be able to add consistent scoring on the wing this season.
Forwards Pat Andree and Jericole Hellems will also be counted on to provide scoring help to support senior lead guard Markell Johnson.
Bryce and Daniels have become good friends since they joined the program and had to sit out their first season together. Bryce said he noticed a difference, and a more focused version of Daniels, in their summer workouts.
“I definitely feel like he has made a huge jump this offseason and I look forward to him having a big season,” Bryce said about Daniels.
N.C. State had a “secret” scrimmage with East Carolina last week for its first preseason warmup. Sunday’s game is the only game-like environment the Wolfpack will have before its season-opener on Nov. 5 against Georgia Tech.
The status of forward D.J. Funderburk hasn’t changed. He’s still suspended and is not expected to play on Sunday.
The school also announced backup guard Blake Harris has left the program, so it will have 11 scholarship players available for Sunday’s game.
Note: All tickets to Sunday’s game are general admission and cost $5. Parking costs $10 but is complicated because of the N.C. State Fair. All fans are encouraged to use Gate E, on Edwards Mill Road, and Gate F, on Westchase Boulevard, to avoid the fair traffic.
Mount Olive at NC State
When: 2 p.m., Sunday
Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh
Watch: ACC Network Extra
Listen: WRAL-101.5 Raleigh; WXRC-95.7 Charlotte
This story was originally published October 25, 2019 at 4:57 PM.
