Devon Daniels: "We're All In This Together"

NC State senior guard Devon Daniels discusses the freshmen, his potential role, and much more!

How well are the veterans and freshmen mixing and blending throughout camp thus far?

With this team right here, I honestly feel like this is the best camaraderie we’ve had as a group. The older veteran guys are trying to help the new guys throughout practice throughout the day. Coming into college, we all know it’s a lot to handle.

You’ve got a lot of people talking to you, throwing new things at you. We’re just trying to be there for them, help them through practice, and help them throughout the day with school and with anything they need. We’re trying to lead and help the team, as a whole, progress and be the best we can be.

How are the freshmen progressing on the court?

Cam [Hayes] can hold his own. He’s good. [Shakeel Moore] is a great competitor. Nick [Farrar] can really score the ball. E.B. [Dowuona] is a big, physical guy with good hands. Jaylon [Gibson], like I heard Coach [Kevin Keatts] said, has a nose for the ball; he really gets after the offensive rebounds.

As a whole group with the five freshmen coming in, I think, throughout the three or four years I’ve been here, this is the first time we’ve had a big group of freshmen come in like this. We can really see the difference.

Those guys are hungry. Those guys want to play, and they’re pushing us, as a whole group, to get better everyday. I appreciate them.

You started attacking the basket more last season. Was that something the coaches told you to do, or was that something you figured out on your own?

Actually, it was Craig Ponder. He was our GA last year. He’s with Wilmington now. He told me I was 6-foot-5 and 205 [pounds]. ‘Stop playing soft.’ I listened to him.

How much did that change your attitude and style on the court?

It helped me relax a little bit. Last year, there were some games where I wasn’t really just in the game. I would be thinking, ‘Is this the right play? Is this the right play?’ But I’ve been playing the game of basketball since I was four.

I really don’t have to do too much thinking out there; I just have to read and react. When I just got to playing my game, not really worrying about all the outside stuff internally like what I have to do to help my team and help improve us, I think that really made a difference.

When you look at the upcoming year, how much do you feel like the change you experienced last year has to continue to improve, considering Markell Johnson and C.J. Bryce are gone?

This is like a whole new team. All of us have new roles. I’ve been focusing on leading the guys, trying to bring positivity. There’s a certain way that the coaches have to instruct them, so I just try to be there for them for whatever questions they need.

I’m just trying to help this team and myself grow when we go out every single day. We’re not really looking too far into the future because we haven’t even gotten our schedule yet. We really can’t worry about that or worry about last year.

We have to focus on the now every day in practice and being there for my guys. Whatever they need from me, I’m trying to do it.

How much do you play into the team’s versatility?

Whatever Coach Keatts and the team needs from me, I’m willing, I’m capable, and I’m not going to fight it. I’m just really going to buy in. I think that’s kind of the vibe from the entire team. I don’t get the vibe that people are pressed to play a certain role or a certain position.

They’re just open to whatever the coach needs or whatever we feel the team needs to be the best we can be. I’m willing, and I feel like the team is willing.

With how unusual this year is and how important it’s going to be for everyone to do what they need to do on and off the court so the team can stay healthy, how much added importance does your leadership take on in terms of holding everyone accountable?

We’re all grown men. Of course, when I was a freshman, I had it a lot easier than these freshmen. These freshmen can’t really feel what it’s like to be out of their parents’ household, going through the normal stuff like parties and stuff, but all of them have been taking it in well. They’ve been listening.

Like I said, we’re all grown men. It’s not like the coaches have to babysit us. We know what we’re here to do. We know what our goals and aspirations are, so I don’t think it adds anymore pressure or tension. We’re all in this together.