Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Charles Curtis

Who is DJ Burns Jr? Meet NC State’s March Madness star who’s exploded in the tournament

Thanks to the run NC State has made, D.J. Burns Jr. has become a household name.

But here’s the thing: the 23-year-old forward has actually been around a while in college hoops.

The South Carolina native joined Tennessee in 2018, didn’t play as a redshirt, and then transferred to Winthrop for three seasons. It was there that he became Big South Player of the Year for 2021-22, but with two years of eligibility left, he left and transferred once more to NC State for two seasons.

At 6-foot-9 and 275 pounds, he’s a big man menace on the court — he’s so good in the post, yet he’s also a good passer from there. But the descriptions off of it seem to be that he’s a delight: From the Fayetteville Observer

“(After an injury to Dusan Mahorcic last season), DJ, obviously, got a chance to go into the starting lineup,” NC State basketball coach Kevin Keatts said.

“We played him about 30 minutes a game after that, and man, the legend of DJ Burns was born. He’s going to be mayor of this city one day. He is. He is what he is.”

He also has a rap single. Seriously! It’s called Beast Boy and it’s great (WARNING: NSFW language ahead!):

He plays a bunch of different instruments, so music is a big part of him.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.