The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1153250
90 ■ THE WOLFPACKER ■ BASKETBALL RECRUITING guard's game. They control how the game goes. That would be a good fit." Hayes officially visited Louisville Aug. 2, and has a trip planned to Maryland Aug. 17. He is expected to officially visit NC State, Florida State and Tennessee in September. Virginia, Virginia Tech, Clem- son and Wake Forest round out his list. Rivals.com ranks the 6-2, 175-pounder as a four-star prospect and the No. 16 over- all player in the country in the class of 2021. He has the ability to play with or off the ball and processes a quality jump shot. Hayes averaged 13.6 points, 5.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game in 17 contests with CP3 in the Nike EYBL this summer, where he teamed up with his good friend Moore. "NC State was at every game [in the April evaluation weekend] and so was Wake Forest, along with a couple of other schools," Hayes said. Hayes is also friends with NC State ju- nior wing commit Terquavion Smith of Farmville (N.C.) Central, and Reidsville (N.C.) High junior point guard Breon Pass, who played on the CP3 16s squad. Hayes, Moore, Smith and Pass all partici- pated in the Chris Paul Elite Guard Camp, July 19-21 in Winston-Salem, N.C. NC State offered Hayes, Pass and Smith during halftime of the Virginia at NCSU football game on Sept. 29, 2018. NC State Making Up Ground For Smith Smith has been hailed as one of the fastest guards in the country. The 6-0, 165-pounder has skyrocketed up the rank- ings this spring and summer while playing for the legendary Atlanta Celtics traveling team. He went from unranked to No. 50 in the country May 5, and then rose to No. 44 overall nationally in the most recent update. NC State quickly jumped in with a schol- arship offer to Smith July 2, and landed one of his official visits Aug. 30-Sept. 1. Flor- ida was his first high-major offer, but Texas Christian, St. John's, Georgia and Xavier soon joined in with their own tenders. "They say I really fit their program," Smith said of the Wolfpack. "Since they've offered me, I've been developing a relation- ship with Coach Keatts. "Playing early is important to me, but I don't have a problem competing. Since he is a senior, that starting position should open right up. That should be a good look." Keatts has talked to Smith about devel- oping him into a quality point guard like former NC State star Dennis Smith Jr. of the New York Knicks and Terry Rozier of the Charlotte Hornets, whom Keatts re- cruited to Louisville. www.pursuitwealthstrategies.com 8321 Bandford Way #105 Raleigh, NC 27615 (919) 847-7600 Life First, Money Second. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC Cardinal International Trucks 1526 South Blount Street, Raleigh, NC 27603 (919) 832-5871 www.cardinalinternationaltrucks.com