GLENDALE, Ariz. — Zach Eady is on stage Friday afternoon in the back of State Farm Stadium to accept another National Player of the Year award. purdue boiler maker play north carolina state wolfpack A little more than 24 hours later, they will advance to the 2024 Men’s Final Four. As Eadie thanked his teammates, coaches and family, loud music blaring from the hallway briefly interrupted the ceremony.
It’s DJ Burns and the Wolfpack coming out on the floor for public practice, a boom box on the team manager’s shoulder, and everyone having fun singing along. Purdue head coach Matt Painter peered into the hallway and frowned at the sight. It probably wasn’t the first thought that came to his mind in that moment, but he has to admit that he was about to play against a team that was so loose and unencumbered for a team that could be on such a big stage. I had to.
north carolina ” took on the personality of Barnes, a breakout star during his miraculous run through the March Madness slot. The Wolfpack’s season was going nowhere as of three weeks ago. They finished the ACC regular season in 10th place in the 15-team league. The only way they can extend the season is by winning the conference tournament. With five wins in five days, highlighted by a buzzer-beater to force OT in the semifinals against Virginia, NC State earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Somehow, the story got even better from there.
No. 11 seed North Carolina State defeated No. 6 seed Texas Tech in the first round. The Wolfpack survived in the round of 32 against Oakland (who beat Kentucky) and then upset second-seeded Marquette in the Sweet 16. More than 15 million people watched North Carolina State man-handle the biggest victory in Elite Eight history. In-state rival Duke.
North Carolina State advanced to the men’s Final Four for the first time since 1983. Along the way, Americans fell in love with a big, stocky guy with soft hands, incredible footwork in the post, and a big gap between his two front teeth. March His Madness is perhaps the greatest star-making vehicle in sports. No one epitomizes that more than Burns. Barnes went from an unknown college center to a celebrity in a matter of weeks.
“He’s the most unique guy you’ll ever meet,” North Carolina State coach Kevin Keatts said ahead of the Final Four. “I’m glad everyone on the national stage has the opportunity to meet DJ Burns.”
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Burns kept a smile on his face all the way to the bank during his North Carolina State campaign. He reportedly made “six figures” on his NIL contract since the Wolfpack won the ACC Tournament. He’s worked with Applebee’s, Raising Canes, TurboTax, Manscape, and more to meet the intense demand for brands to align themselves with authentic personalities and dominant players that the entire country loves.
Burns’ teammates at North Carolina State University say he hasn’t changed much despite the sudden wave of fame and modest fortune.
“Honestly, he was acting like a superstar even before he exploded,” North Carolina State guard Breon Pass told SB Nation ahead of the Final Four.
How did Burns get here? He began his prep career in South Carolina, where he was rated as the No. 3 recruit in the state behind current NBA players Zion Williamson and Aaron Nesmith. He attended the University of Tennessee, redshirted as a freshman, and then transferred to Winthrop University. He dominated lower-level competition almost immediately and was named Big South Rookie of the Year in 2020 and Big South Player of the Year in 2022. It was then time for him to move into the upper echelons. Keatts and NC State typically did not target low post-scorers when recruiting big men, preferring instead shot blockers and rim runners. That changed when they saw Barnes in the portal and knew he was the best option to add size and skill to the frontcourt.
Barnes became a local star in Raleigh after his first season with the program, when the Wolfpack made it to the NCAA Tournament but were eliminated in Round 1. In fact, his coaches became so frustrated with his lack of conditioning and constant foul trouble that he was benched against Syracuse midway through this season. Once the ACC Tournament began, a switch was flipped and Barnes suddenly became America’s most beloved athlete.
Basketball players must be long and slim. Burns never does. Physically, he resembles his NFL right tackle more than a center.Therefore, NFL teams Reportedly exploring his football potential. But Burns said he’s not interested in the bars. This guy is a hooper through and through and has a combination of grace and physicality that no one can match.
Barnes is a monster in the post. His bulk allows him to easily establish an inside position, and his low center of gravity makes him difficult to move. As a scorer, Barnes punishes one-on-one coverage as he is equally adept at rotating to the right and left and finishing with either hand. Duke tried to cover him alone in the Elite Eight by hiring future NBA lottery pick Kyle Filipovski for the job.
Barnes gave him 29 points.
With Marquette throwing double teams at every touch in the Sweet 16, Duke decided to go into single coverage against Barnes. Barnes only scored four points in the game, but his seven assists paced the Wolfpack’s offense to victory. Burns’ death was the biggest revelation in this race. He has earned praise from Nikola Jokic, the greatest big man passer of all time..
How did NC State capitalize on Barnes’ passing and make him the de facto point guard? According to NC State assistant Joel Justus, this is a result of coaches adjusting the roster to match talent. This is an example of the need for fine-tuning. Last season, NC State had two great on-ball creators in Jarkel Joyner and Tel’Kvion Smith who could cook with the ball in their hands. With those players leaving the program and new guards coming in, the Wolfpack coaches had to change the system to accommodate their talent.
“Michael O’Connell doesn’t have the best moves. DJ Horn doesn’t have the best moves,” Justus told SB Nation. “But they can be successful in handoffs. They can also be out of zoom operations. They have (Casey) Morsell and (Jaden) Taylor spaced out on the wings, so they can have some success playing with the big team. makes sense.”
“Eventually we saw it through practices and games,” Justus said of Barnes’ passing ability. “He’s a very willing passer. Sometimes too willing. We need to get after him to score a little bit more to start drawing double teams, triple teams.”
Burns also learned the dark side of fame during his ascension. He shared racist emails he received during March Madness activitiesand was occasionally heckled about his weight.
Still, Barnes has the ability to light up any room he walks into, even in the Final Four and beyond. Americans are obsessed with the player who has kept North Carolina State going since they were a mid-major team in the ACC.
“He’s a gatherer,” Justus said. “He puts in a lot of effort to give. You can see that in his basketball play. He’s a guy who loves to involve people and make sure they have a great day.”
In many ways, Barnes is the perfect college basketball star right now. North Carolina State University is also happy to collaborate.
