NC State riding big man DJ Burns on its unlikely NCAA Tournament run this March Madness

There are few men's basketball players in the country like North Carolina State forward DJ Burns Jr.

It's not just his 6-foot-9, 275-pound frame. Duke star Kyle Filipowski has described him as a "a one-of-one type player" with a unique and unpredictable style of play. North Carolina coach Hubert Davis called him "a gifted and elite passer" who is constantly asking questions of his opponents. Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts said he has the makings of a future mayor. Burns himself has expressed interest in becoming a therapist once his basketball career ends.

"And of course he’s musical, too," Burns' high school coach Frank Hamrick added. "Not only can he play instruments, but he can sing."

Burns is a fittingly unique star for perhaps the most unlikely team in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. He played a pivotal role last week as NC State won five games in five days to claim its first ACC Tournament championship in nearly 40 years. And now, as the Wolfpack prepares to face Texas Tech in its NCAA Tournament opener on Thursday night, he promises to be one of the event's most intriguing players.

In a sport that increasingly puts a premium on speed and athleticism, Burns is more bruising or lumbering than fast or athletic. And while so many of his fellow big men try to stretch defenses with 3-point shooting, he does the opposite, working almost exclusively with his back to the basket.

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"I feel like playing in the post is something that people have kind of shied away from, and it's something that I've always embraced," Burns told reporters during the ACC's preseason media day. "I feel like it's made me different."

Burns' path to NC State was also non-traditional. He grew up in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where his size made him dominant on the court at an early age but his parents also encouraged him to pursue other interests, such as music. According to The Rock Hill Herald, Burns had learned how to play the standup bass, tuba, piano and saxophone all by the start of his sophomore year at York Preparatory Academy.

Hamrick, who coached Burns at York, said the left-handed big man quickly attracted interest from college programs because of his size and soft touch around the rim. But many college coaches didn't appreciate his passing ability out of the low block, he said, and were wary of his playing style.

"I think the knock on him was he wasn’t athletic," Hamrick said. "(College coaches) were looking for the guy who can jump, sprint down the floor. DJ’s not going to be the first one down the floor, but he’s going to be the one that makes the most impact. That ball touches his hands, something good’s going to happen."

Burns ultimately committed to Tennessee after reclassifying to the 2018 recruiting class. He was the 196th overall prospect in his class, according to 247 Sports, and the No. 5 recruit out of South Carolina. (The No. 1 recruit from the state that year? New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson.)

After a redshirt season at Tennessee, Burns transferred back home to Winthrop, where he blossomed into the Big South Conference's player of the year as a junior. Then, in 2022, he transferred again − this time to NC State.

All the while, Burns excelled as an old-school post player. In basketball video games, the Rock Hill Herald reported he often preferred to play with one of three players: Tim Duncan, Al Jefferson or Zach Randolph. Burns said last fall that he modeled part of his game after Hakeem Olajuwon.

"I would say I watched a lot of Hakeem Olajuwon growing up," he explained, "and I just happened to end up with a Zach Randolph build."

Burns earned ACC tournament MVP honors after averaging 15.2 points, four rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in the Wolfpack's run last week, which featured wins over Duke and North Carolina in addition to an overtime defeat of Virginia. But he was not named to any of the ACC's all-conference teams following the conclusion of the regular season, and so much of what he does goes beyond statistics.

In recent games, North Carolina State often ran its offensive plays through Burns, who has a tendency to post up much further from the basket than other big men, sometimes almost to the 3-point line. Opposing teams were left to either double-team him, and leave a shooter open, or watch him back and bully his way to the rim.

"I think he’s going to be on a lot of people’s radar, because they’re going to have to scout for him," teammate Michael O'Connell said. "He does damage inside. And he’s such a presence on the court that people have to definitely prepare for him."

Burns has at times drawn attention for build, and his weight. He is listed at 275 pounds, which means he will have at least 30 pounds on any Texas Tech defender who attempts to guard him Thursday.

Hamrick said Burns has always worked to maintain his weight, while also using it to his advantage on the court.

"The thing about DJ is he’s not fast, but he’s quick," Hamrick said. "I think he’s learned how to use his body. Honestly, I can’t think of anybody in college that plays that position that uses it better."

On Saturday night, in NC State's 84-76 win over North Carolina in the ACC championship game, Burns drained his first 3-pointer of his college career in the first half, then chest-bumped Keatts in celebration after the final buzzer sounded. With red and white confetti under his sneakers, he was asked about carrying the weight and hopes of Wolfpack fans, who had waited 37 years for an ACC title.

"Yeah," Burns said, "I’d say that’s what I’m big for."

Contact Tom Schad at [email protected] or on social media @Tom_Schad.