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NC State Wolfpack: Two Good Signs for Bball

By John Woodcock

Mar 9, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Mark Gottfried looks on to the court in the second half against the Duke Blue Devils during day two of the ACC conference tournament at Verizon Center. Duke Blue Devils defeated North Carolina State Wolfpack 92-89. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Mark Gottfried looks on to the court in the second half against the Duke Blue Devils during day two of the ACC conference tournament at Verizon Center. Duke Blue Devils defeated North Carolina State Wolfpack 92-89. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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The NC State Wolfpack have two freshmen coming in worthy of being first round draft picks next year.

The NC State Wolfpack should have something to say about the state of ACC basketball this season. Not only did the team keep most of its core intact, but they are adding two freshmen of some significance. With that group, they should be well positioned in a league where Louisville and Syracuse are likely to take a step back next year.

How good are the State freshmen? Point guard Dennis Smith was the best point guard prospect in the country by some measures. He is even number 8 in Sam Vecenie’s way too early mock draft for next year’s NBA Draft. The only issue with Smith will be how he recovers from tearing his ACL. Vecenie praised Smith’s quickness.

Smith was a five star recruit though, and that means he didn’t sneak up on anybody. His presence alone should have meant good things for State. Yet there is another player who has joined the Wolfpack this year and makes an appearance on the way too early mock draft.

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Omar Yurtseven pops up at number thirteen in the draft. The big Turk is a big man in the European style. Those kinds of shooting big men are all the rage in the NBA right now. Yurtseven will offer a good balance for the interior defenders that State already possesses.

It would be worth bringing up that while State has two lottery picks and Duke has four players who go in the first round, the rival North Carolina Tar Heels are not to be seen on this early top 30 list.

Next: Progress Report on the QB Factory

In the more here and now, Anthony Barber went undrafted. That will allow Barber to find a roster where he fits. Most likely he’ll be on someone’s Summer League roster and get his chance in camp. This is the route that Seth Curry took to get in the league.

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