Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC Here is the weekly review of the top performing Wolfpack alumni, who are currently playing in pro basketball.
Especially interesting is good performance of Mohamed Diarra (8 points), Jericole Hellems (18 points), and Anthony Barber (21 points).
#1. French Mohamed Diarra, a 25-year-old forward standing at 6'10'' who graduated from NC State in 2024, is currently making waves in the professional basketball scene in France. Recently, he played a pivotal role in Cholet Basket's triumph over the closely-ranked ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne Basket with a final score of 80-75 in the French Betclic ELITE. Diarra showcased his skills by scoring 8 points, securing 11 rebounds, and providing 1 assist during the intense 25-minute game. Cholet Basket, currently holding the fifth position in the league with a record of 19-11, has been on a winning streak, with this game marking their third consecutive victory. Diarra's exceptional performance against ASVEL highlights his prowess on the court and his ability to deliver when it matters most, solidifying his reputation as a true champion. Throughout this season, Diarra has maintained impressive averages of 8.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game across the 34 games he has played so far. His consistent contributions and stellar play have undoubtedly established him as a key player for Cholet Basket, demonstrating his potential to excel as a finalist in future competitions.
#2. Jericole Hellems, a 6'7'' power forward and Wolfpack alumni from the class of 2022, showcased his skills playing professionally in Mexico. In a recent game, despite his commendable performance, he couldn't lead Toros Laguna to a victory as they were narrowly defeated 88-85 on the road by the higher-ranked (#3) Halcones de Ciudad Obregon. Hellems displayed his scoring prowess by contributing 18 points, making him the second-highest scorer of the game. Additionally, he grabbed 5 rebounds in just 23 minutes of play. Despite his impressive individual performance against Obregon, including 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist, Toros Laguna fell short of securing the win. Throughout the season, Hellems has maintained solid statistics, averaging 12.0 points per game and 3.8 rebounds per game across 14 matches. His consistent performance on the court has been notable, making him a key player for Toros Laguna, despite the recent loss to Halcones de Ciudad Obregon.
#3. Anthony Barber, a 6'2'' point guard who graduated from NC State in 2016 and received the USBWA All-District III Team award that year, currently plays professionally in France. In a recent game, despite his stellar performance, Barber was unable to lead Saint-Quentin Basket-Ball to victory as they were narrowly defeated 76-73 by the lower-ranked Poitiers in the Play-Out group. The 31-year-old was the standout performer of the game, finishing as the top scorer with 21 points and contributing 4 rebounds in 35 minutes on the court. Against Poitiers, Barber displayed his talent by scoring 21 points, securing 4 rebounds, and providing 1 assist. Despite his impressive individual efforts, his team fell short in securing the win. Throughout the season, Barber has maintained solid statistics, averaging 12.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game in the three games played so far.
#4. DJ Burns Jr., a 6'9'' forward and 25-year-old Wolfpack alumnus from the class of 2024, currently plays professionally in Israel. In a recent Israeli Winner League match, Burns Jr. was unable to lead his team, Bnei Hertzeliya (18-8), to a victory over Hapoel Holon (15-11). Despite his solid performance of scoring 6 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, and contributing 1 assist in 18 minutes of play, Bnei Hertzeliya suffered a 84-99 loss to the lower-ranked Hapoel Holon in the Places 1-8 group. This defeat marked Bnei Hertzeliya's first loss after a three-game winning streak. Throughout the season, Burns Jr. has maintained good statistics, averaging 10.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game in the 11 games played. Despite the setback in the recent game, Burns Jr. continues to showcase his skills and contribute to his team's efforts in the league.
#5. Lennard Freeman, a 30-year-old forward standing at 6'8'' who graduated from NC State in 2018, currently plays professionally in Israel. In a recent game, Freeman, a standout player for M.Raanana, faced off against Ironi Nes-Ziona in the Israeli Winner League. Despite his commendable effort, Freeman could not lead his team to victory against the formidable opponent. During the game, Freeman showcased his skills by contributing 7 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 assist in 29 minutes of play. Despite his impressive individual performance, M.Raanana suffered a defeat at the hands of Ironi Nes-Ziona, with a final score of 96-70. This loss placed M.Raanana in the fourth position in the Places 11-14 group. Throughout the season, Freeman has been a key player for M.Raanana, averaging 9.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game over 20 games. His consistent contributions on the court have been vital for his team, even in challenging matchups against tough opponents like Ironi Nes-Ziona.
#6. Jarkel Joiner, a 6'1'' guard and 27-year-old Wolfpack alum from 2023 who received the All-ACC Second Team award that year, currently plays professionally in Canada. In a recent game, despite Joiner's standout performance, the Vancouver Bandits (5-2) were unable to secure a victory, falling 105-114 to the Ottawa Blackjacks. Joiner, the team's top scorer, contributed 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in 33 minutes of play. His remarkable showing against Ottawa highlighted his individual success this season, boasting impressive averages of 18.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game across four games. Joiner's strong contributions on the court have made him a key player for the Vancouver Bandits, showcasing his skills and prowess as a champion player.
#7. In a recent game on Tuesday night, the talented player Michael O'Connell, standing at 6'2'' and a former NC State graduate, showcased his skills while playing professionally in Puerto Rico for Criollos de Caguas. During the game, he contributed to a remarkable victory over the second-ranked Capitanes with a decisive score of 113-79 in the Puerto Rican Baloncesto Superior Nacional league. Despite scoring only 2 points and making 4 assists in his 18 minutes on the court, O'Connell's impact was notable. In a different game against Arecibo, he managed to score 2 points, grab 3 rebounds, and provide 4 assists, playing a significant role in securing the win for his team, leading them to become the champion. Throughout this season, O'Connell has been consistent, averaging 5.6 points per game, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in a total of 24 games. His contributions on the court have been instrumental in his team's success, culminating in a well-deserved championship title.
Other former North Carolina State University players, who play in pro basketball:
Lorenzo Brown (6'5''-PG-1990, played in 2010-13) plays for AX Armani Exchange Milano in Italian Serie A
Eric Lockett (6'5''-G/F-1995, played in 2018-19) plays for Energa Trefl Sopot in Polish OBL
Markell Johnson (6'2''-PG-1998, played in 2016-20) plays for Shenzhen Leopards in Chinese CBA
Terquavion Smith (6'4''-G-2002, played in 2023-24) plays for Shenzhen Leopards in Chinese CBA
DJ Funderburk (6'10''-F-1997, played in 2017-21) plays for Iraklis in Greek GBL
CJ Bryce (6'5''-G-1996, played in 2017-17) plays for UNICS in Russian VTB United League
Allerik Freeman (6'3''-SG-1994, played in 2017-18) plays for Itelyum Varese in Italian Serie A
Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (6'9''-C-2003, played in 2024-25) plays for Keravnos in Cypriot ECOMMBX BL
Sacha Killeya-Jones (7'0''-C/F-1998, played in 2018-18) plays for Shandong Heroes in Chinese CBA
DJ Horne (6'1''-G-2000, played in 2023-24) plays for MLP Academics Heidelberg in German BBL
Javier Gonzalez (6'1''-PG-1989, played in 2007-22) played for Cangrejeros de Santurce in Puerto Rican BSN few monts ago
Devon Daniels (6'5''-G-1998, played in 2017-17) plays for Veolia Towers Hamburg in German BBL
C.J. Williams (6'5''-F/G-1990, played in 2008-12) played for PGE Start Lublin in Polish OBL last year
Maverick Rowan (6'7''-G/F-1996, played in 2015-17) played for Pistoia in Italian Serie A2 last year
Ben Middlebrooks (6'10''-F, played in 2023-25) plays for Norrkoping in Swedish Basketligan
Trevor Lacey (6'3''-SG-1991, played in 2013-13) plays for Maccabi Urban Ramat Gan in Israeli Winner League
Jalen Lecque (6'5''-SG-2000, played in 2019-20) plays for Onvo Buyukcekmece Basketbol in Turkish BSL
Dontrez Styles (6'6''-G/F-2002, played in 2024-25) plays for Val-Dieu Spirou Basket Charleroi in Belgian Pro Basketball League
Dennis Smith Jr. (6'3''-PG-1997, played in 2016-17) plays for Sioux Falls Skyforce in the NBA G League
Dereon Seabron (6'7''-G-2000, played in 2019-19) plays for Salt Lake City Stars in the NBA G League
T.J. Warren (6'8''-F-1993, played in 2012-14) plays for Westchester Knicks in the NBA G League
Jayden Taylor (6'4''-G-2003, played in 2023-25) plays for KTP-Basket in Finnish Korisliiga
Terry Henderson Jr. (6'5''-G-1994, played in 2014-14) plays for USK Praha in Czech Republic NBL
Torin Dorn (6'5''-G-1995, played in 2015-15) plays for J.Hradec in Czech Republic 1Liga
Jordan Vandenberg (7'1''-C-1990, played in 2010-14) played for McKinnon Cougars in Australian Big V last year
Thomas De Thaey (6'8''-F-1991, played in 2011-13) played for Taiwan Beer in Taiwanese SBL last year
Breon Pass (6'0''-PG, played in 2021-25) plays for Ylli in Kosovan Superliga
Ernest Ross (6'9''-F-2001, played in 2021-25) plays for Wings in Georgian A League
Engin Atsur (6'4''-PG-1984, played in 2003-07) played for MI Bocconi in Italian Serie B Interregionale last year
Ted Kapita (6'8''-F-1996, played in 2016-17) plays for Muskogee Skykings in the TBL
Abdul-Malik Abu (6'8''-C-1995, played in 2014-23) plays for Kahramanmaras in Turkish TBL
Richard Howell (6'8''-C/F-1990, played in 2009-13) plays for Raleigh Firebirds in the TBL
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of North Carolina State University basketball alumni.
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Ex-Players
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