Kevin Keatts sends thoughts and prayers to Terquavion Smith after neck injury

There was a scary moment towards the end of the North Carolina and NC State matchup Saturday afternoon, which resulted in the Wolfpacks’ star guard Terquavion Smith leaving the game on a stretcher with a neck injury. After the game, NC State head coach Kevin Keatts briefly discussed the incident while sending his thoughts and prayers to Smith.

“My prayers and thoughts right now are with Terquavion,” said Keatts. “I don’t have an update for you guys. I know he did go to the hospital; waiting to hear back. Very emotional situation for me right now. Obviously, the game is very important. I thought our guy fought. But my prayers and my thoughts always go to my players and these type of moments.

With just under 10 minutes left in the second half, Smith landed hard on his back and arm after a hard foul committed by North Carolina forward Leaky Black. Black was given a flagrant foul 2 for the hit and ejected from the game.

The severity of Smith’s injury is unknown at this current moment. Still, the best thing North Carolina State can do at this moment is stay strong for Smith and his family as they go through this ordeal.

Keatts concern ‘has nothing to do with the draft’

Keatts Also made it clear later on in the press conference that a player’s status has nothing to do with the level of concern he has in this situation. It doesn’t matter whether Smith is a projected number-one overall pick for the NBA draft or a walk-on on his team; key views all his players in the same light.

“It has nothing to do with the draft… It could be anybody. When I sit in the kid’s house and their family turns them over to me to be their coach and dad while they’re here, I don’t care who it is. I don’t care what their draft status is, (and) I don’t care if he plays three minutes a game. My son’s on the team. He’s a walk. It doesn’t matter. All these kids are my kids… but it has nothing to do with what type of player he is. I’m there to support him. I’m not a medic; I’m not a doctor. I don’t know what it is. My job is to be there to let him know that as a coach right there with him as I will do and always will do.”