BREAKING: DJ Burns announces return to NC State men's basketball
NC State men’s basketball star center DJ Burns will return to Raleigh for his final season of college eligibility, he announced via Instagram Live Thursday morning. After establishing himself as a reliable and imposing presence in the paint, the graduate student is locked in with the Wolfpack.
The program fan favorite appeared in all 34 games and started 22 for NC State. He was the team’s third-leading scorer, only trailing All-ACC guards Terquavion Smith and Jarkel Joiner, at 12.5 points per game. Burns also grabbed 4.8 rebounds per game, dished out a total of 51 assists and shot 56.8 percent from the field, leading the Wolfpack in the latter category with a minimum 15 games played.
In addition to his offensive skills, he also paced the program in blocked shots with 29 and finished the season with 24 steals.
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Burns was a force offensively for the Pack, and he recorded a season-high 31 points in a January showdown with Wake Forest, when he willed the program to a win on the road. He announced his decision in a press release with the Pack of Wolves NIL collective.
“I am incredibly proud to run with the Wolfpack,” Burns said in the press release. “This community has welcomed me with open arms and the support from the fans, alumni, and students has been
overwhelming. I can’t wait to see what another great year has in store.”
The 6-foot-9 NC State low post presence also announced his new merchandise line, the Big 30 collection, which is available for purchase on the Pack of Wolves website. Burns recently signed an endorsement deal with Adidas, according to the press release.
After he helped lead the Wolfpack to the NCAA Tournament earlier this year, Burns shared why he is excited to run it back in Raleigh.
“I am most excited about reconnecting with my fans,” Burns said. “My goal is to take our team
back to March Madness and on to win a coveted Championship title with my teammates.
During the off season, I will focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, training and, most
importantly working to become the best version of myself.”
Prior to his NC State career, DJ Burns was the 2021-2022 Big South Player of the Year for Winthrop after averaging 15 points per game. The center, who is from Rock Hill, South Carolina, started his career at Tennessee, and he was a four-star prospect in the 2018 recruiting class.
