NC State coach calls former KU Jayhawks guard ‘one of the most underrated transfers’
North Carolina State basketball coach Kevin Keatts likes what he’s seen from former Kansas shooting guard MJ Rice in the Wolfpack’s early summer school workouts.
“Very talented,” Keatts said at a news conference last week as reported on by On3.com. “He was a McDonald’s All-American and you really don’t hear a lot about him.”
Keatts continued.
“Obviously, he’s from Durham (North Carolina). He didn’t get the opportunity to play (at KU in 2022-23) because they had a very good Kansas team with some very good players that played in front of him. Personally, I think that he’s one of the most underrated transfers in the portal,” Keatts said. “I think he can play any guard position. He’s strong. He’s physical. He’s working really hard. A tremendous kid, has a great body, can score inside and out. I think he’s going to be really good.”
The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Rice elected to enter the transfer portal on March 29 after an injury-plagued freshman season at KU in which he finished with 51 points, 24 rebounds, seven steals and two blocks in 23 games, including 11 Big 12 contests.
“Feels good to be home,” Rice wrote in a recent Instagram post.
Rice posted four pictures from a Wolfpack workout Tuesday on Twitter and wrote: “God first. Overcome all things!!! Wolf pack NATION!!!! Let’s WORK!!”
Rice was one of eight Jayhawks to enter the portal following the 2022-23 season. The Jayhawks have lost guards Bobby Pettiford, Kyle Cuffe Jr., Joseph Yesufu and MJ Rice to the portal, as well as big men Zuby Ejiofor, Ernest Udeh (uncommitted), Zach Clemence and Cam Martin.
On April 25 after choosing N.C. State as his transfer destination, he tweeted: “God1st! Humbled and Blessed beyond measure! Blessed to be a part of a Great School, Program and ELITE coaching staff!! Lets Gooooooo WOLFPACK NATION!!”
This story was originally published May 31, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
