Dontrez Styles: "I Can't Wait For It"
NC State guard Dontrez Styles met with the media to discuss the Wolfpack's upcoming matchup against North Carolina.
NOTE: Click on the video above to watch the interview.
Is it weird at all having to play on the other side of this rivalry?
I wouldn't say it's weird. I feel like it's exciting times, you know what I'm saying? I'm probably the first player to ever do this, so for me it's exciting, it's new, and it keeps me on my toes, so I can't wait for tomorrow.
What is it like on the other side of the rivalry? You've been through it twice, or two years of it.
It's pretty much similar, you know what I'm saying, with the fan bases and the atmosphere. It's about the same, honestly. We're both in the ACC, so it's very similar.
You have a unique perspective on all of this, obviously. Do you have a thesis on what this rivalry is, you know what I'm saying? How would you describe it as someone who grew up in the area and has been on both sides of it?
Yeah, just where I'm from, Kinston, North Carolina, growing up, watching this rivalry, and knowing as a kid that I wanted to come to one of these schools in the Triangle. Being able to be here right now is a blessing, and I'm pretty sure tomorrow's going to be a great game. I can't wait for it. I'm ready to see the guys that I once was teammates with a long time ago, about two years ago, and it's going to be fun.
And from Kinston, do you have any family and friends, a ton of them, coming out to support tomorrow?
Yeah, for sure. It's going to be flooded with Dontrez Styles fans, and I'm blessed to have them at my corner.
When you look back on that run as a freshman, does that Baylor game seem like yesterday, or a long time ago, or Marquette game, getting to play Duke?
Yeah, that year was crazy, just going to the Final Four, and it kind of feels like it was a blur. It just really happened so fast, and it was a great experience for me, and it kind of got my college career going a little bit, so I'm thankful for that.
When you were at Carolina, did you think this was a rivalry with NC State?
I think it was, yeah. I think it is. Just the two teams being so close, and just the history of the two programs, I feel like how can it not be a rivalry? So when I see people say it's not a rivalry, I kind of, it's crazy, but it's all good.
Do you chuckle when you see someone in your CP3 family, like Theo Pinson, popping off on Twitter from time to time?
Oh yeah, I see it all the time, and it's kind of crazy. I'm not going to say what he is saying, but y'all know. It's crazy seeing that on Twitter, but it's kind of funny at the same time.
Outside of R.J. Davis, which of UNC's players presents the greatest challenge defensively?
Seth Trimble. We used to play one-on-one all the time when I was there, so he's a great defender. He's stocky, he's strong, athletic, so it's going to be a huge challenge, and I can't wait to go out there and compete.
Has the group chat been popping this week, or have you all put each other on the spot to start?
Talking about the Carolina group chat? Nah, it hasn't been bad. It's exciting. Those are my guys over there, but once tomorrow at 4 p.m. I'm ready to go out there and compete.
So you have talked to them this week?
Yeah.
How about your teammates? Have they been riling you up a little bit too for this game?
Yeah, for sure. KJ and Snell, those are my two guys. They go on the edge of it all the time. They've been on me for weeks now about this game, so I'm ready to go out there, man. It's fun times.
How do you try to treat this as a normal game? Obviously, it's got a little more connection to you, but how do you try to treat it like it was the other day?
Just try to go out there and get the win. Just trying to build on what we did in the last game and know that it's bigger than me. We've got to keep going. We've got to go. We're trying to reach. Just really know it's bigger than me. It's not about me at all. Yes, it's important to me, but it's more important for the team to go out there and get this win.
Keatts brought up those two guys, by the way, as people who jab at you a lot as well. One thing he mentioned too is that you're getting more comfortable. It feels like one of those things that might be hard for us to understand, but how difficult has it been to go through three different systems now in just a few years, and a constant change? Do you feel yourself finally being acclimated and comfortable to this environment?
Yeah, for sure. When you transfer at a great time, it's not really ideal, but it takes a lot for you to get comfortable at times. It's three different programs, trying to learn the system, where you get your shots, and the environment. But I feel like each and every day I come here, I'm getting more comfortable. I'm being myself, and my teammates make it easier for me each and every day, like KJ and Snell and the rest of my teammates. They always keep me on my toes no matter what, how I'm feeling, feeling down, or having a bad game. I can't be mad at them all because they always make me smile and laugh. So I feel like each and every day I'm getting more comfortable here.
How much does it help that you have this unique relationship with Coach Keatts and Coach Watkins to that certain extent too, where they've known you since you were 14, 15 years old? How does that help where you can see they push your buttons?
Coach Levi Watkins, he gave me my first offer. He was at Ole Miss when I was in high school. So just being able to reunite with him and, of course, Coach Keatts. I have known him since my sophomore year in high school. He recruited me very hard in high school, and I had the portal the first time when I entered. And just being here now is fun. I feel comfortable just because I've known them guys for years now. So it made it easy. You know what I'm saying? We have a great relationship, and we'll keep building towards a better one.
What's it like having your friends and family closer than when you were up in D.C.?
Yeah, it means a lot. That was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to transfer, just to come back home and for them to see my last year. This is all I've got. For them to be able to come see every home game, to see their faces in the crowd, it makes me want to keep going. It motivates me. So it's been big.
What have you learned about yourself from the moment you stepped on Carolina's campus to now with the stop at Georgetown in between?
I've learned about myself. I'm a resilient kid. I've been through a lot. I've seen a lot of basketball. I've been through a lot of things. No matter what, I always come out of it pretty good. So I thank God for that in my work.
What would your freshman self say if he knew that you were going to be at UNC, Georgetown, and then now NC State?
I don't even know. To be honest, I would have said, you're crazy. It hasn't been ideal, but I've also been blessed. It's a very unique situation. So I can't complain at all that I'm blessed.
When you entered the transfer portal for the first time, I think you mentioned earlier in the year that you weren't really ready to make that move from Carolina straight to NC State. Talk about that and what went into that.
I wasn't very sure enough to just take on what comes with that. I know that's a big thing to do. You've got to be very strong to do that, strong-minded. I feel like my second time in the portal, I was ready, mentally. And I made that move.
What was it like to be at Georgetown while the ACC tournament was going on last March and then seeing how it all unfolded?
Yeah, it's crazy. I went to every game.
Oh, you were there in every game?
Yeah, I went to every Carolina game, every NC State game. I was there in the crowd. I saw OC hit the buzzer beater against Virginia. I was there.
At that time, did you know you were going to be wearing a Wolfpack in the front?
I didn't know. I didn't know I was really transferring from Georgetown until later on. Yeah, I ended up here. We had to be here.
Going back to KJ and Snell, obviously they don't play a ton of minutes, but how important are they to the morale of this team and its success?
Yeah, they're very important. Like I said, they keep me and all my other teammates on our toes. They're always joking around. Even when we're at a losing stretch or whatever, they always kept us positive, just joking around here. Everybody was laughing and smiling. That's been big for me, just to have the two guys in my corner. No matter how I'm feeling, they're going to make sure that I'm going to laugh every day. I'm going to joke around back with them. It's been fun just having the guys around me.
What is something that you may need a second to think about, but for UNC and NC State, is there something that either side doesn't realize about the other that you feel like you have a unique perspective on now that you've been on both?
I'm not sure, man. It's kind of similar. It's really the same, honestly, just the fan base, the atmosphere, meaning the ACC is, like I said, it's a rivalry to me. You know what I'm saying? I don't know, honestly.
How's the Adidas life?
It's been going good. I haven't worn Adidas since my senior year in high school. I've been enjoying it ever since then. Well, ever since I've been in college before this year. It's always good going back to Adidas. Coach, you get to brand whatever your plan is forever.
What university do you rep? Do you rep all three or do you just stick with NC State?
Oh, yeah, all NC State. All NC State is where I'm at right now, and I'm loving it so far. I'm just loving it. That's where I rep right now.
Coach Keatts said he’s seen a lot of growth out of you this year. Where do you feel you've grown the most?
I would say just my mindset. Just trying to do all the small things to have the same win. And not base my game off just scoring. Just trying to go rebound, go be the best defender, and know that everything else is going to come. And that's going to help us win games. I would say just my mindset and just being more confident.
Coach Keatts talked about the Breon Pass being an ambassador. You have a unique perspective on Breon. What is it like to see what he's gone through? How long have you known him?
Yeah, I've known Breon since my sophomore year in high school. We were teammates for CP3. We played him at Reidsville in the playoffs. He beat me, but it was during COVID, so I don't count it. But, yeah, I've known Breon for years. He's been through a lot. He's stayed resilient. He's kept working. He's working right now, and he's having a great season. He's going to keep getting better.
How would you describe the way Marcus (Hill)has as someone who else is getting comfortable? How has his game changed over the past couple months here?
Yeah, Marcus, to me, is one of the best guards in the ACC for scoring guards. I feel like he's going to get to the paint no matter what. No matter who's guarding him, it doesn't matter. I've never seen anything like it. The guy to be that small and that short just to get into the rim every time he wants to is very special, so I feel like he's one of the best guards in the ACC.
How does he finish the way that he does? It feels like he just absorbs contact like nobody.
I can't tell you. I have no idea. Just him being that small and so crafty, I don't know. He's a dog. He's going to get there.
What's changed for the two of you since San Diego? That didn't go well for either of you, but since then you guys have both played on a different level.
Yeah. Yeah, San Diego was, I don't know what that was. It was a tough time, and I told myself after that that was never going to happen again. Just the way I played, and I know I just had to be better for us to be competitive, and that's probably what I've been doing throughout these past couple weeks is trying to get back to rebounding the ball, being a high-level defender and doing all the small things.
Was that a mind shift, mindset shift that had to take place, do you feel like, or was it more just prep and kind of knowing what to expect on the floor?
I would say it was just early on. I wasn't really as comfortable as I am now, just trying to still learn the guys I'm playing with, the system. At the time, I wasn't making a lot of shots at the time. It was kind of not going well for me in that area, but ever since then I feel like I've been more comfortable. I've been with myself more, so you could say it's been a mindset and also just getting back to just doing what I've been known to do, and that's just being a good athlete, good rebounder, defender, and knowing that my shots are going to come.
What has been Coach Keatts’ message for the game tomorrow, since Notre Dame?
We really haven't talked about it, honestly, but as a team, it's a big opportunity for us to go out there and get another win, and we know that we dropped a few a couple weeks ago. We know we've got to make up for it, and I feel like we will. I feel like we're very prepared, and we're a great team. We've got to continue to show each and every game.
I know you've had a relationship with Coach Keatts for a while, but you talked about watching the ACC tournament and seeing it in person. How much did that play a role in you actually coming here when you ran into the portal?
Yeah. It was kind of a no-brainer. I feel like I'm an ACC guy, you know what I'm saying? I'm from North Carolina. I grew up watching this my whole life, and deep down I knew where I wanted to be, so I made it happen.
I asked Keatts this question, so it's probably a dumb question. Snow day. Seeing someone who's from North Carolina, right, what's your interpretation of snow around here, what do you expect for tomorrow?
To be honest, I'm not sure. Sometimes they say it might snow and it doesn't snow. It's kind of bipolar, but I guess we'll see. I feel like a snow day game against North Carolina would be good, I feel like.