Wolfpack adds top-ranked JUCO to signing class

NC State men’s basketball coach Kevin Keatts announced the signing of Derek Funderburk to a National Letter of Intent Tuesday.

Funderburk joins NC State’s previously announced signings of four-star recruits Manny Bates, Saddiq Bey, Jericole Hellems and Ian Steere.

Prior to the addition of Funderburk, the four-man class of Bates, Bey, Hellems and Steere was ranked 15th overall and fifth in the ACC by 247Sports.com and 17th overall and 6th in the ACC by Rivals.

“With this new era of position-less basketball, DJ is a guy we felt would be a great fit within our system,” Keatts said. “Our whole class has been focused around adding length and versatility, and DJ is a guy we look forward to using at a bunch of different positions.”

 

Derek Funderburk – Lakewood, Ohio (Hargrave Military Academy/Ohio State)

Consensus four-star recruit in the class of 2016 … ranked as #49 overall player in his class by Scout … ranked as #66 overall recruit by ESPN … played senior season at Hargrave Military Academy … averaged 18 points, nine rebounds and three assists per game … teamed with current NC State freshman Braxton Beverly to lead Tigers to a Prep School National Championship with a 47-1 record … attended St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio, prior to Hargrave … Averaged 14.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game to lead St. Edwards to the 2015 Division I State Final Four … As a sophomore helped lead high school to 2014 Ohio Division I State Championship … originally signed with Ohio State and redshirted the 2016-17 season with the Buckeyes … transferred to Northwest Florida State College for the 2017-18 season … currently ranked as the #1 JUCO recruit in the nation by Next Up Recruits.

 

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