A star has been born during March Madness. Every year during the NCAA Basketball Tournament, a little-known player bursts onto the scene with some impressive performances that capture the heart of the basketball community. This year, that player is DJ Burns, the big man on an NC State team that is this year's best Cinderella story.
Burns is a 275-pounder with great skill level to match his incredible size and strength, and he has become the face of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. In this article, we will take a closer look at exactly who Burns is and how his collegiate career has gone.
Who is DJ Burns
DJ Burns' journey started long before he blew up in the public eye during March. He has always been a mountain of a man and a dominant basketball player, and it led to him being one of the top-ranked high school players out of South Carolina in 2018, via 247Sports. Zion Williamson, a fellow superstar with a massive frame, happened to be the number-one player in the state that year.
Burns had over 1,000 points and rebounds in high school despite only playing three seasons, as the center decided to forego his senior season and reclassified to the 2018 class. Burns committed to Tennessee, where he redshirted as a freshman. After his freshman season, Burns transferred to Winthrop. Burns immediately thrived with the Eagles, as he was named the Big South freshman of the year after averaging 11.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.
Burns further improved in his third year in college, as he became All-Big South Honorable Mention after putting up 10.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Although his numbers had slightly dipped, Burns' role within the team increased and he improved his defensive production.
Burns tested the NBA Draft waters, but ultimately decided to return to Winthrop, where all of the stars aligned for a massive season. Burns immediately showed that he meant business in his junior season. He scored a career-high 30 points in the first game of the season, and he finished the year as the Big South Player of the Year. Burns scored 15 points per game this season.
Burns suited up for a new team in his fifth year in college. The big man's success at Winthrop afforded him the opportunity to transfer back to a power-5 school, and he settled on NC State. With better teammates around him, his scoring production dropped slightly to 12.5 points per game. Burns' game had clearly improved, though. His stamina was better, and it allowed him to stay on the floor for longer periods of time. Additionally, he improved as a passer, which helped in situations in which he gets double-teamed down low.
With another season of eligibility, Burns returned to the Wolfpack for a sixth collegiate season. His experience and size made him one of the scariest returning collegiate players, but it didn't lead to as many regular season wins as NC State would have liked. The team only went 9-11 in conference play and even lost their last four regular season games. They were given the 10-seed during the ACC Tournament.
NC State's March Madness run
Many thought that DJ Burns' career was coming to a close, but out of nowhere he lead his team on a miraculous run. The team won five games in five days to become the ACC champions and secure an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Their winning ways haven't stopped either. The team (who was given an 11-seed for the NCAA Tournament) has won four more straight games during March Madness, and Burns has been at the forefront of it.
Burns had 16 points against sixth-ranked Texas Tech and 24 points against 14th-ranked Oakland. In the Sweet 16, Burns had a down game, but his team still managed to get past the second-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles. Most recently, Burns had 29 points in a win over number-four Duke. Nikola Jokic gave high praise to Burns afterwards. As a big center with great touch and vertical limitations, Burns has drawn comparisons to the two-time NBA MVP.
Now, Burns is set to face off against Zach Edey and Purdue in the Final Four. It is NC State's first Final Four appearance since they last won the national championship in 1983. While Burns has gained popularity for his massive frame, he will have his hands full against a fellow giant. Edey is 7-foot-4 and is expected to become the National Player of the Year for a second straight season. Purdue is a heavy favorite, but if there is anyone who can slow down Edey, it will be the 275-pound Burns. The big man has become a fan favorite, and the whole nation will be rooting for him during the Final Four.
Burns' run during March Madness has been noticed by more than just the basketball world, though. A number of people in the football community, including Jim Nagy, reported that there is legitimate football interest for the basketball player that seems tailor-made to play in the trenches of the gridiron. While most took this as an April Fools joke, it isn't hard to picture the big man on the football field. First thing is first, though, and Burns needs to focus on the Final Four.
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