Friedlander: DJ Burns gaining rock star status as he continues to lift NC State to new heights

The big man receives an entry pass along the baseline, 15 feet from the basket.

As he does, the crowd comes to its feet.

He turns, puts the ball on the floor and begins using his bullish body like a battering ram to back closer and closer to the rim.

With each dribble DJ Burns takes, the decibel level gets exponentially higher until it reaches a thundering crescendo as NC State’s super-sized center sinks a soft left-handed hook shot.

It’s a scene that once took place only at PNC Arena. But over the past 2 weeks, Burns and the Wolfpack have taken their show on the road.

The voltage Burns generated at last week’s ACC Tournament in Washington, DC, became so high that even rival North Carolina fans were cheering wildly every time he touched the ball in overtime of a semifinal win against Virginia.

Not satisfied with just earning MVP honors in leading State to its 1st conference title in 37 years, Burns has set his sights even higher.

For himself and his team.

The 6-9 graduate student – who can’t possibly weigh an ounce less than 300 pounds, even though he’s officially listed at only 275 – was already a cult hero in Raleigh before this postseason began because of his surprisingly nimble feet, soft hands and ever-present smile.

But now that he’s introduced himself to a national audience by helping to power the 11th-seeded Wolfpack to an impressive 80-67 win against No. 6 Texas Tech in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament’s South Region in Pittsburgh late Thursday night, he has been transformed into a certified rock star.

The crowd loves DJ Burns Jr. ? @PackMensBball pic.twitter.com/ItFP3gg1la

— CBS Sports College Basketball ? (@CBSSportsCBB) March 22, 2024

OK, maybe not Taylor Swift-level status.

But give him a few more games and who knows? It might come to that.

It took awhile for Burns to find his rhythm against the Red Raiders. He missed his first 4 shots and was called for an offensive foul during the opening 11 minutes while teammate Ben Middlebrooks carried much of the inside load.

He made his first basket at the 9:02 mark. And from that point on, it was vintage Burns. He didn’t miss another shot, going 7 for his last 7 on his way to scoring 16 points.

He became such an unstoppable force that after getting fouled on his way to the basket with just under 6 minutes remaining, the large State contingent in the stands started taunting Texas Tech with chants of “You can’t guard him!”

Not only did Burns do his share of flexing and grinning during his time on the court, he was just as demonstrative while on the bench. He took on the role of hype man for Middlebrooks, reveling in his backup’s career-high 21-point, 4-rebound, 2-block performance almost as much as he did for his own success.

And the crowd at Pittsburgh’s PPG Arena ate it up as if it was a double scoop of the ice cream State coach Kevin Keatts treats his players to every time they win a game away from home.

Speaking of ice cream, CBS sideline reporter Evan Washburn was so smitten by Burns and his charismatic performance, he had a large scoop of vanilla with chocolate syrup, sprinkles and a cherry on top waiting for the State star at the end of his postgame interview.

CBS gave DJ Burns ice cream after the win and he immediately gave it to someone else pic.twitter.com/IXyz2SE08q

— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) March 22, 2024

“It’s an electric feeling, man,” Burns told Washburn and a network television audience when asked about the noise level he helps create. “It makes you want to get those buckets just a little bit more.”

Thanks to the Wolfpack’s 6th straight win this postseason and a bracket that has been busted wide open by 3rd-seeded Kentucky’s upset loss to No. 14 Oakland, the opportunity to keep making those buckets – and fans – well into next week is there for the taking.

The Wolfpack is listed as a 5.5-point favorite over the Golden Grizzlies by ESPN BET sportsbook.

One of the many beauties of the NCAA Tournament is that it provides a platform for players who may have gone overlooked or underappreciated during the regular season because of the teams for which they play.

Every year, a few of them make the most of that opportunity and get a well-deserved moment in the spotlight. An even more select few raise their game so high that they gain legendary status.

Do the names Bryce Drew, Ali Farokhmanesh and Harold “The Show” Arceneaux ring a bell?

OK, then. How about Lorenzo Charles?

The deeper this State team goes in this tournament, the better chance Burns has of joining that exclusive club.

“He was a local star for a whole year and now everybody in the national media is starting to understand that,” Keatts said after Thursday’s game. “I mean, he’s just fun.”

Earlier this season when asked to describe Burns’ amazingly deft footwork for a man his size, Keatts suggested that he’s so light on his feet he could be a contestant on Dancing With the Stars.

He was joking, of course. But if Burns and his team keep winning and keep winning over fans, you never know.

He might actually get the chance.