NC State men’s basketball team returned for workouts. Who was running with the Pack?
The 2020-21 version of the N.C. State men’s basketball team hit the courts for workouts for the first time Tuesday.
Head coach Kevin Keatts, entering his fourth season, also made his Instagram debut, posting pictures from the workouts. Seen in those pictures, much to the delight of Wolfpack fans, was forward D.J. Funderburk.
Shortly after the ACC Tournament ended, as well as the college basketball season, Funderburk and Devon Daniels both announced they would go through the NBA pre draft process. Daniels withdrew his name in June, but Funderburk was still a toss-up. It appears Keatts will have his top returning scorer back in red and white.
Funderburk (6-10, 225 pounds) averaged 12.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game as a redshirt junior. He is the returning leader in both categories for N.C. State, who ended last year with a 73-58 win over Pittsburgh in the ACC Tournament. Funderburk finished that game with 10 points and seven rebounds. Funderburk started just 15 games last season, but plans to be a fixture in the frontcourt on one of Keatts’ deepest teams he has had in Raleigh.
Funderburk and sophomore Manny Bates swapped spots on the floor for Keatts, but did provide a twin towers duo in the post at times together. Keatts welcomes three bigs in the 2020 recruiting class — Nick Farrar, Jaylen Gibson and Ebenezer Dowuona — but can bring the trio along slowly now that Funderburk returns to man the post.
The Ohio native shot 60 percent from the field last year and 76 percent from the foul line.
Keatts returns five players who saw significant minutes a year ago, plus a five-man freshman class — guards Shakeel Moore and Cam Hayes along with three forwards — expected to contribute early. He’ll also welcome former Garner guard Thomas Allen, who sat out last season after transferring from Nebraska, and Dereon Seabron, who took a redshirt season a year ago.
This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 6:03 PM.
