NC State’s Kevin Keatts: ‘Our versatility ... will be one of the strengths of our team’
It didn’t take Kevin Keatts long to miss being in the gym.
By his estimate it took about two weeks.
In the summers, Keatts is used to being on the road; usually July takes him to Peach Jam in North Augusta, Georgia. Other times he might check out games in Atlanta, Orlando or Las Vegas.
Instead of hanging out on a baseline looking for future N.C. State players, Keatts was home, talking to his staff and current players on Zoom. When there wasn’t a basketball-related meeting, he spent quality time with his wife and two sons, something he normally wouldn’t have as much time to do, but even that ran its course.
“At times they are probably looking at me like I wish he would get out of here and do something,” Keatts said. “I’m now in their space that they normally would occupy during that time of the year. Especially for my wife, I’m sure I’m in her way.”
COVID-19 shut down basketball in March, soon other sports followed, and for a stretch there was no activity for college athletics or professional sports. Slowly, though, things started to return to somewhat normal and Keatts reunited with his guys on the hardwood, his sanctuary away from home.
A sudden end
The way the 2020 season ended will forever remain a question mark for everyone. N.C. State won three out of its last four games, including a 73-58 win over Pittsburgh in the ACC Tournament in Greensboro.
Next up was a rubber match with Duke. The Blue Devils defeated the Wolfpack, 88-69, 10 days earlier in Durham. N.C. State dominated the first matchup on Feb. 19, winning by 22 in PNC Arena.
At a neutral site, who knows what would have happened? Unfortunately, fans never found out. That morning it was announced that the rest of the ACC Tournament was canceled and the NCAA Tournament was canceled a few days later.
Everyone was sent home. The good news was N.C. State ended with a win. The bad news was Keatts and his team didn’t get a chance to finish on their own terms. Would they have made the ACC title game and/or the NCAA tournament? Keatts will never know and that’s something he’s had to think about the last six months. There were mixed emotions, especially for his seniors. Why cancel the tournament and not postpone it? Eventually, Keatts came around and, like the rest of the world, realized this thing was bigger than sports.
“As things started progressing and more cases started to happen, it turned into something that was disappointing,” Keatts said. “But we understood it was the right thing to do.”
The Wolfpack ended 20-12, the third straight 20-win season in Keatts’ three seasons in Raleigh, but his lowest win total here. As a head coach, Keatts has put together five consecutive 20-win seasons dating back to his time at UNC-Wilmington. This was the first time as a head coach that Keatts didn’t get to play in the postseason — quite the adjustment for sure. Not as hard, though, as the adjustment of not hitting the road this summer.
“I’ve been on the road recruiting since I got in this business every July,” Keatts said. “Only time I didn’t was when I got married, other than that it’s something I had to adjust to and I’m sure my staff feel the same way.”
Returning seniors
When it would play again wasn’t the only thing looming over the N.C. State program this summer.
Shortly after the season ended, forwards D.J. Funderburk and Devon Daniels both announced they would test their NBA Draft prospects. A third player, incoming freshman Josh Hall, also announced his decision to go through the draft evaluation.
Suddenly Keatts found himself in a situation where he didn’t know if he would have his top two returning scorers and his top freshman for 2020-21.
Daniels (6-5, 205) has played two seasons for the Wolfpack after transferring from Utah. The Battle Creek, Mich. native averaged 12.7 points per game in 32 games last season. He started 24 games a year ago and has played in 68 games with 37 starts the last two seasons. Daniels started the final 21 consecutive games of the season, scoring in double figures in 15 of the final 16 games.
Funderburk (6-10, 225) averaged 12.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game as a junior. He is the returning leader in both categories for N.C. State.
In a year when there hasn’t been a lot to celebrate, Keatts found out that Funderburk and Daniels would both return. Hall hired an agent and kept his name in the NBA Draft. Having the two seniors return, though, is a big boost.
Keatts actually encouraged those players to get NBA evaluations. However, since this was such an unusual offseason, the players’ game films were the only thing scouts could evaluate. No in-person interviews or workouts were allowed.
“I kind of felt bad for D.J. and Devon this year that feedback just wasn’t there,” Keatts said. “With that being said, I’m excited to have both of those guys back. The way they finished the year I thought they were playing as good of basketball as anybody in the league, and we get two veteran guys coming back where we are going to have a mixture of some older guys and then some guys who are new to the program.”
Keatts will have to replace Markell Johnson (12.8 ppg) and C.J. Bryce (13.3) in the starting lineup, but welcomes in a five-man freshman class with lots of potential. Funderburk returning, paired with sophomore Manny Bates (6-11, 230) up front, means rookies Jaylon Gibson, Nick Farrar and Ebenezer Dowuona don’t have to be thrust into action too soon. Keatts also feels like those older guys, junior forward Jericole Hellems (6-7, 205) included, will benefit from having the new players on the roster.
Having Dowuona (6-10, 220) around means Funderburk can get some work at the four position, Keatts said. Gibson (6-11, 200) and Farrar (6-6, 230) means Hellems can focus on the small forward position, even though Keatts added he will get some work at power forward.
The 2020-21 version of the Wolfpack appears to be Keatts’ deepest team yet, with the ability to play “10 or 11 guys”, but he also realizes how quickly his biggest strength can become a weakness.
“Our versatility and how deep we can be will be one of the strengths of our team,” Keatts said. “But also I’m realistic to know that obviously, knock on wood, that injuries can change that, or our situation with COVID-19, could knock some of the guys out of the game and our strengths can be taken away right away.”
This story was originally published September 16, 2020 at 12:00 PM with the headline "NC State’s Kevin Keatts: ‘Our versatility ... will be one of the strengths of our team’."
