Three takeaways from N.C. State basketball media day
By Luke Tucker
On Tuesday, the ACC hosted its annual basketball media day in Charlotte, NC. Each of the 15 ACC squads had their head coach and two players present.
For N.C. State, third-year coach Kevin Keatts was in attendance along with senior guards C.J. Bryce and Markell Johnson. Media day offers one of the first inside looks at what may be on the horizon in the upcoming season. With that being said, here are three takeaways from the Wolfpack’s presser.
N.C. State wants to continue to play fast at both ends of the floor
Perhaps the most recognized aspect of Kevin Keatts’ coaching style is his willingness to apply pressure defensively. One of the few teams in the nation to consistently apply full-court pressure, the press is a hallmark of Keatts’ regime.
The Wolfpack finished in the top 40 in steals last season and forced an astounding 15.6 opponent turnovers per game. When asked what makes the Wolfpack’s press so effective, Keatts credited his team for its conditioning, which he believes allows the defense to wear down opponents as the game goes on.
As far as pace on the offensive end, Keatts wants N.C. State to continue an up-tempo style, however, he also wants to see his players make better decisions with the basketball.
"“On the defensive end, we try to turn guys over as much as we can and create tempo. We want to play fast, but don’t want to turn the ball over ourselves.”"
The Wolfpack ranked 25th in the nation last season in turnover margin, but limiting turnovers on the offensive end is something Keatts continues to harp on. He also added that he hopes to see more easy transition buckets as a result of the press.
Markell Johnson is primed for a monster senior campaign
One of seven returning players, Markell Johnson has emerged as one of the better point guards in the conference (if not the country). Johnson briefly tested the NBA waters this summer, but ended up opting to return to school for his senior season.
The 6’1″ guard has seen his two-point, three-point, and free throw percentages all go up in each of the three years he has played. His most dramatic improvement may be from beyond the arc. Johnson shot just 25% from three-point range in his freshman season, however, as a junior, he shot over 42%, which was good for sixth in the ACC. Johnson has no doubt emerged as the Wolfpack’s go-to scorer, and that will continue to be the case heading into this season.
As much as Johnson has improved his shooting ability, his most impressive attribute is his ability to spread the ball around. He actually led the conference in assists per game as a sophomore and ranked sixth last year. Just as importantly, Johnson saw a significant reduction in his turnovers per game between his sophomore and junior seasons.
Despite Johnson being the best offensive player N.C. State has, the talk of his game at media day was actually about his defense. When asked why his steals were down last year compared to the year before, Johnson had this to say:
"“I don’t really know why my steals were down last year. I would say that I wasn’t really as locked in defensively last year as I am this year.”"
Just stop and think about that for a second. Markell Johnson, an all-around scorer, NBA-level passer, and who has an opportunity to take his defense to the next level. Johnson has always been a very good on-ball defender, but if he can consistently force the opponent into mistakes, he may well become one of the best defensive players in the conference as well.
If Johnson continues to show significant offensive growth this season, and becomes more of a play-maker defensively as well, he could play himself into being a fringe first-round pick in next summer’s NBA draft.
For the Wolfpack, it’s NCAA Tournament or bust this season
After last year’s heartbreaking NCAA Tournament snubbing, the Wolfpack are hungrier than ever under Kevin Keatts. N.C. State will have seven returning players from last season, the most Keatts has ever had during his tenure in Raleigh. Those players include three starters in Johnson, Bryce, and Braxton Beverly. Other key players returning include Devon Daniels, D.J. Funderburk, and Jericole Hellems.
According to Johnson’s comments to the media, one of the reasons he decided to come back for his senior season was because of all the returning talent on the Wolfpack’s roster. With that being said, he has pretty high expectations for the upcoming season as well:
"“This year, [we want to] make it to the tournament, not only to make it to the tournament but make a run in the tournament.”"
With all the talent that remains on Keatts’ team, as well several of the key recruits and graduate transfers who have come in, this should be Keatts’ deepest roster by far. It has taken a few years to build his brand of basketball, however, the pieces finally seem to be fitting together for Keatts’ system.
N.C. State is currently a projected 7-seed according to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, and a 10-seed according to Andy Katz of NCAA.com. Early expectations from players, analysts, and fans alike are that the Wolfpack should return to the Big Dance in 2020. Kevin Keatts IS a winner, and has a shot to really raise some eyebrows this season.