Thanks to the run NC State has made, D.J. Burns Jr. has become a household name.
But here’s the thing: the 23-year-old forward has actually been around a while in college hoops.
The South Carolina native joined Tennessee in 2018, didn’t play as a redshirt, and then transferred to Winthrop for three seasons. It was there that he became Big South Player of the Year for 2021-22, but with two years of eligibility left, he left and transferred once more to NC State for two seasons.
At 6-foot-9 and 275 pounds, he’s a big man menace on the court — he’s so good in the post, yet he’s also a good passer from there. But the descriptions off of it seem to be that he’s a delight: From the Fayetteville Observer
“(After an injury to Dusan Mahorcic last season), DJ, obviously, got a chance to go into the starting lineup,” NC State basketball coach Kevin Keatts said.
“We played him about 30 minutes a game after that, and man, the legend of DJ Burns was born. He’s going to be mayor of this city one day. He is. He is what he is.”
He also has a rap single. Seriously! It’s called Beast Boy and it’s great (WARNING: NSFW language ahead!):
He plays a bunch of different instruments, so music is a big part of him.