WILSON: Finding Parallels Between Forty Years Ago and Now
Two years consistently remain at the forefront of NC State basketball history: 1974 and 1983.
The former team will be able to revel in the 50th anniversary of cutting down the nets next season, but for right now, the nostalgia goggles are focused directly on the latter. Dereck Whittenburg’s prayer of a deep shot in the closing seconds of the title game versus Houston. Lorenzo Charles’ grab and dunk as time expires. Jim Valvano frantically running around the Albuquerque Pit in search of someone to hug. The definitive “Cinderella Story” made manifest 40 years ago.
Wednesday evening versus Wake Forest, the Wolfpack brought back nearly everybody who made that championship run possible. Kevin Keatts said following the game that he wanted to make the occasion perfect by securing the victory over the Demon Deacons. Aided by a 29-point performance from Jarkel Joiner, State did just that, troucing the visitors by 16 points.
Keatts was also asked if there were any parallels between his current team and the players that brought home the hardware 40 years ago. His response: “It wouldn’t be fair.” That mindset has its credence, to be fair. The game of college basketball has evolved tremendously in the four decades since the red-clad renegades shocked the world. The three-point line was in its infancy back then. The shot clock wasn’t implemented across the NCAA until 1985. The transfer portal, NIL, and the NET... all many years away from being the influences of the college game they currently are, for better or worse. That said, even through the lens of the modern landscape, parallels can be made if one were to be generous on grading.
First, take a look at the man at the top. Valvano and Keatts both share an infectious charisma that’s aided them as head coach. Though he doesn’t share the exact same mannerisms of the proud New Yorker of Italian descent who regularly orated with a showman’s flourish, Keatts is the kind of smooth operator that can grab attention when needed. If you can walk onto campus on day one and declare yourself a winner, that’s the kind of boldness the late, great Rutgers alum would definitely appreciate. Also, when you think about Keatts’ philosophy regarding looking ahead, he always reiterates the same point -- “We’re only concerned about the next game.” In other words, he prefers to survive and advance: a sentiment associated with Valvano’s philosophy as the leader of the Pack.
But what about the team nucleus? Who are the facets of the Wolfpack’s centerpiece... the core corps, if you will? In 1983, that would have to be Sidney Lowe, Dereck Whittenburg, and Thurl Bailey -- two guards and a center, all three with significant time on the clock in college basketball. There’s a bit of a stretch in one aspect of this parallel, but in 2023, the Wolfpack definitely has a prominent three-headed monster with Jarkel Joiner, Terquavion Smith, and D.J. Burns. Out of those three, Smith is the least experienced when it comes to the college game, but he shines as one of the most talented players in the ACC. He’s also not afraid of letting his long-range shots rain from the heavens, much like Whittenburg during the early stages of the three-point era.
It’s also worth remembering the chemistry between Whittenburg and Lowe in the backcourt, cultivated through years of shared time from DeMatha Catholic High before arriving in Raleigh. Though it’s obviously not as long-standing as the ‘83 backcourt, Smith and Joiner’s chemistry was immediately apparent once Joiner transferred in from Ole Miss. Joiner’s presence on the team has been one of the biggest boons for the Pack as a team leader, a scorer, a facilitator, and an overall tour de force within the scope of the conference.
Then, of course, there’s Bailey, one of the largest icons -- figuratively and literally -- in NC State history. If anyone on this current squad can be compared to him, it’s got to be the guy who drew gasps from the PNC Arena crowd the first time he touched the ball in a live game. Consistently referred to as a throwback to post players of old, Burns has been the big man on campus -- again figuratively and literally -- since his arrival, and he’s only managed to build upon that perspective as his legend grows and grows. As Keatts has pointed out on numerous occasions, in games where the guards generally do a substantial portion of the workload, the fans will still loudly and proudly chant Burns’ name. Also, think back to that famous possession at the tail end of the 1983 championship. How did the ball get in Whittenburg’s hands? Oh yeah, it was from a pass in the corner from Bailey. A post player made a key pass to a frontcourt player stationed more or less beyond where the three-point line would be in today’s game. Or, in other words, one of the key facets of Burns’ skillset and Keatts’ offensive philosophy.
In terms of personnel, other parallels can be found. Terry Gannon and Casey Morsell are premier sharpshooters, though Morsell is more known for his defensive prowess. Ernie Myers and L.J. Thomas as young guards providing energy off the bench. Lorenzo Charles and Ernest Ross as forwards with a knack of being at the right place at the right time when the moment calls for it. But there’s an even bigger aspect of both of these teams that can be the difference maker down the stretch.
In Valvano’s 1993 address at Reynolds Coliseum, his final appearance in Raleigh before his passing, he spoke at length about what the 1983 team taught him, and one of the things he mentioned was love. Each of them said how much they loved each other as the team reunited inside the Old Barn. In 2023, one of the common reoccurring themes that all of the players constantly tell the media is how strong their bond and their love is for one another. It may sound cliched or irrelevant, but that kind of love is not as openly prevalent as one would believe or hope. Sometimes, the joy of the game and the camaraderie of the team will only last as long as the wins pile up. The air around this Wolfpack team is a lot more conducive to success, even when it had experienced hardship.
At the end of the day, no one truly knows what the future holds for NC State. At this point of the season, the Wolfpack is firmly in a position where it doesn’t have to win the ACC Tournament in order to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, unlike the 1983 squad. There’s no Michael Jordan, Ralph Sampson, or Phi Slamma Jamma to overcome. But this current crop of players presents its own challenges. Keatts and company will continue to survive and advance, much like Valvano’s “Cardiac Pack,” until the end of the road comes. If he were here, Valvano would likely be proud of the team his fifth successor has assembled to face the coming adversity.
I would also like to think he’d ask everyone he could, “What the hell is the NET?!”