Where are they now: NC State’s players that left after last season's Final Four run

It’s been nearly a year since NC State men’s basketball made its miraculous run through the ACC and NCAA Tournament to earn its first league title in 37 years and its first trip to the last weekend of the season in four decades. 

The Wolfpack turned over its roster after it lost to Purdue at State Farm Stadium in the Phoenix area with seven players either exhausting their eligibility or transferring out. With that in mind, and the NCAA Tournament set to begin on Thursday, here’s a look at where those that departed the program ended up during the 2024-25 season.

DJ Horne

The Wolfpack’s leading scorer from its magical run through March, Horne turned professional after his collegiate eligibility expired in Phoenix. He earned an invitation to the NBA’s Summer League with the San Antonio Spurs, but didn’t stick following the 11-day-long stay in Las Vegas. 

Horne elected to sign with MLP Academics Heidelberg in the German Basketball League for his first professional season. He has appeared in 19 games, averaging 13.5 points with 2.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 25.8 minutes per game. 

The Raleigh native posted a season-best 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting in Heidelberg’s 86-81 win over Rostock on Nov. 30. He last appeared in a game on March 16, where Horne logged 12 points on 6-of-15 shooting in a 93-86 win over Goettingen. 

Kam Woods

Although his stint with the Pack was just one season, where he appeared in 13 games, Woods has found his footing at Robert Morris for his final year of eligibility. The 6-foot-2 guard is the Colonials’ leading scorer at 15.1 points, while he has added 4.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.7 steals in 29 games played. 

Woods has been a key cog in Robert Morris’ attack throughout the season. He has reached double figures in 23 games this season, including each of his last seven outings. The Colonials won the Horizon League Championship, aided by Woods’ 17 points, six rebounds and five assists in the title game. 

Robert Morris, the No. 15 seed in the East Region, will open the NCAA Tournament against second-seeded Alabama on Friday at 12:40 p.m. in Cleveland, Ohio. 

LJ Thomas

Thomas wasn’t with the Wolfpack for the postseason as he left the team to enter the transfer portal. He missed NC State’s nine consecutive wins and wasn’t in attendance for either the ACC Tournament title or the trip to the Final Four. 

The Plant City, Fla., native transferred to Austin Peay for his junior season. Thomas appeared in 31 games, including 29 starts, with the Governors, averaging 14.2 points with 4.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists. 

Thomas scored a season-high 29 points on 13-of-27 shooting in Austin Peay’s 68-66 upset win at Butler in the second game of the 2024-25 campaign on Nov. 8. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

Casey Morsell

Morsell was NC State’s longest-tenured player on the Final Four roster as he spent his final three collegiate seasons with the Wolfpack. The former Virginia transfer averaged 11.1 points in 27.4 minutes a game during the 2023-24 campaign. 

The Fort Washington, Md., native did not decide to pursue a professional career after the Final Four. Instead, he entered commercial real estate while also looking to jumpstart his career as a basketball analyst. Morsell was a part of NC State’s five ESPN+ men’s broadcasts in the early stages of the 2024-25 season alongside Andrew Sanders. 

Mo Diarra

A key part of NC State’s run through the postseason with 107 total rebounds in the Wolfpack’s nine wins, Diarra decided to turn professional even though he had one year of eligibility remaining. 

The Frenchman spent the NBA Summer League with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he averaged 7.5 points on 50 percent shooting in two appearances. After he wasn’t signed by the Lakers, Diarra returned to his home country as he signed with Limoges CSP Elite in the French Betclic Pro A League. 

The 6-foot-10 forward is averaging 8.8 points with 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 18.5 minutes across 21 games. He has posted a season-best 14 points three times, most recently in a 101-77 loss to Le Mans on March 1. Diarra has continued to display his knack for rebounding in France, including a 16-board effort in an 84-69 loss to ASVEL on Dec. 8.  

Ernest Ross

Ross appeared in just 14 games during the 2023-24 season, but he was able to help keep NC State loose with his bench celebrations throughout the postseason run. Initially, he entered the transfer portal and committed to UTSA before announcing a return to the Wolfpack. That, however, was short-lived and he transferred to Grambling for his final season in college basketball. 

The Alachua, Fla., native appeared in 31 games with 19 starts (the first of his career) as he averaged 7.6 points and 3.7 rebounds with the Tigers. Ross logged a season-best 16 points three times during his one-year stint at Grambling. 

DJ Burns

Burns became a national sensation throughout the Wolfpack’s run to the Final Four last season. His signature post moves, coupled with his off-the-court charisma led Burns to becoming one of the biggest faces of last year’s NCAA Tournament. 

The Rock Hill, S.C., native was the “NIL King” during the run before he turned professional after the Final Four. Burns was with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the NBA Summer League, where he averaged 5.8 points on 55.5 percent shooting in 11.9 minutes a game, but he didn’t earn a contract after the trip to Las Vegas. 

Burns signed with the Sono Skygunners of the South Korean KBL soon after. He has appeared in 45 games, averaging 9.9 points with 4.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists in his first professional season. Burns recently set a career best with 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting in the Skygunners’ 91-79 loss to the LG Sakers on March 9.