SIGNING PERIOD SNAPSHOT: Four Inking With Wolfpack Hoops
All four of NC State's 2018 basketball commitments are expected to sign in the fall, although none appear to be signing today, the first day of the Fall Signing Period. The Fall Signing Period runs from November 8th-November 15th.
Northwood Temple (NC) commitments Ian Steere and Manny Bates are expected to sign their LOIs on Thursday, and Chaminade (MO) wing Jericole Hellems informed Inside Pack Sports that he will sign today at 3pm. Sidwell Friends (DC) wing Saddiq Bey will be signing his letter of intent this morning.
Here is a closer look at the first full class signed by Kevin Keatts.
Center Immanuel Bates
Hometown: Fayetteville, NC
High School: Northwood Temple
Vitals: 6-11/215
Rank: ****
NC State landed a commitment in early October from Bates, one of the top centers in the country. Bates picked the Wolfpack shortly after his official visit.
Bates picked the Wolfpack over offers from Georgetown, South Carolina, DePaul, Georgia Tech, Louisville, and Xavier among others.
Bates On NC State: "I feel it's a great fit for me and how I play. It's also a great fit off the court too. They were at all my games. They offered me and they were at everything. I liked that a lot. I thought about that a lot."
James Henderson On Manny Bates: There is a lot to like about Manny Bates. First of all, his ceiling is sky-high... he has plenty of tools which is why he's so coveted.
Manny is far from a finished product, but he's already a game-changing rim protector who will impact right away on the defensive end of the floor. He can also finish around the rim and should do well as a rim-runner in State's halfcourt offense.
Bates must continue to add strength and develop his offensive game, but there is no denying the immense upside he has.
Power Foward Ian Steere
Hometown: Fayetteville, NC
High School: Northwood Temple
Vitals: 6-9/260
Rank: ****
NC State landed a huge commitment in late October when Ian Steere picked the Wolfpack shortly after taking his official visit.
Steere was previously committed to Creighton but had offers from programs all across the country such as Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Kansas, and South Carolina, amont others.
Suiting up on the Under Armour circuit with Team Charlotte, Steere was a coveted target for many high-major programs.
Steere On NC State: "I made the right decision. I get to stay close to home, play in the ACC, and get a lot of early playing time. There's a lot of positives with NC State.
"Coach Keatts drilled into my head that I could get immediate playing time if I was ready to play, so that was big for me."
James Henderson On Ian Steere: Ian is a huge pickup for NC State because physically he's ready to play right away and the Wolfpack had to land a post player capable of playing major minutes as a true freshman.
Steere checks in at 6-foot-9 and 260 pounds and will be pound-for-pound one of the best athletes in the ACC. He runs the floor extremely well and lives above the rim on both ends of the court.
Ian is also a great fit for NC State's offensive system. He can post up and score on the block, but he excels as a rim-runner off pick-and-rolls. He's an above-average rebounder, elite finisher around the rim, and capable rim protector.
There's a lot to like about Ian Steere, and it's easy to see why he was so coveted.
Forward Jericole Hellems
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
High School: Chaminade
Vitals: 6-7/200
Rank: ****
Jericole Hellems burst on the scene in July with a breakout performance at the Nike Peach Jam. He averaged 22.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game during the event as he scored more points over a seven-game period that tournament than he did during the entire Nike EYBL regular season.
From that point, his recruitment exploded.
NC State had him on campus for an official visit in late August, and assistant coach Takayo Siddle made a trip to St. Louis recently to check in on Hellems.
Hellems picked the Wolfpack last month after also considering South Carolina, Florida, Missouri, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and Arkansas.
Hellems On NC State: "I knew that I was a top priority for them. They are recruiting me to play power forward, and that's the game I like to play. I played like that all summer and I'll do it for my high school too.It really helps me showcase my skills and you see more of it now in the NBA, teams playing small.
"Coach sold me on that role, which stood out to me."
James Henderson On Hellems: Kevin Keatts wants to play small and to do that he had to land one or two freshmen capable of playing that small-ball, four-man position, and Hellems should fit in well there.
At 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds, Hellems has a frame to add strength and brings a toughness you love having on your roster. He's physical, aggressive, and plays with a major chip on his shoulder. The edge he has is contagious.
Skill-wise, he can continue to expand his game, but he'll be a problem for opposing power forwards who must go out and defend him on the wing. He can score off the dribble, finish at the rim, and has range to the three-point line, which is critical in NC State's offensive system.
Hellems also has a reputation for being a versatile defender, and he relishes defending bigger players. As with most freshmen he has to improve his decision-making on offense, but he is the type of player that gives traditional bigs fits on both ends of the court.
Wing Saddiq Bey
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
High School: Sidwell Friends
Vitals: 6-7/200
Rank: ****
Saddiq Bey was in Raleigh for his official visit when the Wolfpack faced Louisville and was impressed with the school.
Bey took visits to Xavier, Pittsburgh, Miami, and NC State before picking the Wolfpack late last week.
Bey On NC State: "Coach Keatts and coach Hamilton were great [on my visit]. They showed me a really good time. I liked the atmosphere of the school, the fans...I liked everything about it.
"The vibe was great. The school is strong and on the basketball side, coach Keatts stressed that I was a priority for them."
James Henderson On Saddiq Bey: I love this commitment for NC State.
First of all, Bey is a high-character prospect who checks all the boxes off the court. He fits perfectly with the culture Keatts is looking to establish in Raleigh.
On the court, his versatility stands out. He can defend multiple positions and offensive can play shooting guard, small forward, or spend time as a small-ball, four-man.
A herky-jerky playmaker, Bey excels operating against his man off the dribble, looking to get in the paint to finish or find teammates. He also flashes a reliable mid-range jumper and effective handle.
Bey must continue improving his decision making and three-point shot, but he is a gritty kid who will bring a lot to Raleigh. He can be a "glue" player capable of blending well with various lineups and rotations.