Through seven games this season, NC State quarterback Jacoby Brissett has completed 67 percent of his passes for 1,332 yards and 10 touchdowns with only one interception. This past weekend, he led the Wolfpack to a 35-17 victory at Wake Forest, and with a month of football left to be played, he’s certainly not out of the hunt for All-ACC honors.
But before the signal-caller arrived in Raleigh, and even before his two-year stop at Florida, Brissett also shined on the basketball court at Dwyer High School in West Palm Beach, Florida. One person who took notice of his talent on the hardwood was Roy Williams.
“He had a chance to be a very, very good basketball player,” Williams said at ACC Operation Basketball on Wednesday. “They played in the, maybe the eight teams that played for the ‘national championship’ in high school. The first game they played, they played against a great team, and Jacoby was just as good as anybody out on the court.”
At the time, Williams was recruiting Joel James — Brissett’s high school teammate — when he saw the future NC State quarterback showcase his basketball ability. James, now a senior with the Tar Heels, ended up picking North Carolina, but the UNC coach states it was too late to recruit Brissett.
“I think he was a year ahead of Joel, and I think when I saw Joel play as a junior that Jacoby had already decided that it was going to be a football decision,” Williams said. “He may have already even committed.”
Knowing what we know now, does Williams think Brissett chose the right sport?
“Let’s just wait until after our game against North Carolina State before I answer that one.”