Being here in North Carolina, there are certainly plenty of familiar faces that have suited up for the Wolfpack that have come through the Phenom Hoops platform, and this year is no different.
NC State sits at 8-3 overall on the season, coming off a strong win vs. Saint Louis recently. And when watching the Wolfpack on the court, players like DJ Horne, DJ Burns, Dennis Parker, and others have really stepped up for this team, along with others.
Those three specifically have come through the Phenom platform at some point and are having success now in Raleigh. It has been great to see Horne back home, after playing at Arizona State. The experienced guard has been tremendous in leading the charge offensively, averaging 14.0ppg, 2.6pg and having nearly a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Horne is one who has worked hard throughout his career and is now having a chance to shine in front of his hometown friends and family. Burns, another player that has come through the Phenom platform over the years, is continuing to be a force down low, manning the paint and displaying touch around the basket as well as being one of the top rebounders for his team.
You have to also add the early success from freshman Dennis Parker Jr., as the long, athletic prospect has certainly earned his opportunity to see more minutes and start earning starts this year. He has been able to make an impact in a variety of ways on both ends, as he was a highly-touted prospect coming out of high school and should only continue to develop under Coach Keatts.
And that doesn’t even mention former Top-100 prospect MJ Rice, who is just starting to get settled down in Raleigh, as he could be yet another Phenom alum to make an impact.