NC State center DJ Burns announces decision to return for 2023-24 season

NC State’s low-post behemoth, DJ Burns, is back for one more ride in the saddle with the Wolfpack, he announced on Instagram. The self-proclaimed “Smooth Operator” will be in his sixth year of college next season and enters his second year with NC State, which is his third school since graduating high school. What a career for the big fella, and it’s still kicking.

Burns’ career to date is quite the journey, as you’d expect after five years and three stops. He initially signed with Tennessee out of high school and was the only player in the country heavier than Zion Williamson when both players were freshmen back in 2019.

But after redshirting in Knoxville, Burns migrated to Big South powerhouse Winthrop, where he developed into the team’s starting center in 2020-21, which wound up being the most successful season for the program since Gregg Marshall was its coach back in the early aughts, and they finished with the best record in school history as well. Along the way, Burns picked up a pair of All-Big South appearances, was Big South Rookie of the Year in ’20, then became the conference’s Player of the Year by ’22.

After three tremendous years in an Eagles’ uniform, Burns opted to try his hand at the power five level and wound up on Tobacco Road, where he anchored NC State down low as the Pack enjoyed a return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018, head coach Kevin Keatts’ first season with the program.

He posted the following message along with his announcement post that he’s returning:

“Pack nation, BIG 30 BIG PACK IS BACK ♥️ To celebrate I dropped my Big 30 merch line to electrify this incredible moment!!!!

“I gotta say that you all have been the best & most supportive fans through everything!! Big thank you to Coach Keatts and the entire NC State Basketball Athletics Dept. for believing and trusting in me!! Now its time to focus on everything its gonna take to turn up again!! 

“Go Pack!!!!!!!! #smoothoperator.”

We got three nicknames in one instagram caption. BIG 30 and BIG PACK are appropriate and simple, and then there’s “Smooth Operator” for folks who are reminded of Sade’s smash hit when they watch Burns go to work in the post.

Whatever you call him, DJ Burns is back for one more ride around the carousel. Quite literally and in every meaning of the word, a MASSIVE get for Keatts and the 2024 Wolfpack.