Everyone enjoys a good underdog story. One of the only true underdog stories left in the NCAA Tournament resides in Raleigh, N.C.
NC State wasn’t even in the conversation as a bubble team when the ACC Tournament began on March 12, and the Wolfpack nearly found themselves headed for an offseason of uncertainty when they were tied with 8-win Louisville late on the tournament’s first day. All Kevin Keatts’ team did was rattle off consecutive wins, including upsets of Duke and North Carolina, to secure an improbable ticket to the big dance.
It was in Washington D.C. that Burns started to look like a potential March Madness star. The Capital One Arena crowd erupted each time he touched the ball, knowing Burns had one signature move — and it almost always worked. Now, he’s taking that move to the Sweet 16.
Here’s what you need to know about Burns’ size and how he uses it to his advantage.
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DJ Burns Jr. height
Burns is listed as 6-9, making him the third-tallest player on NC State’s roster. Mohamed Diarra and Ben Middlebrooks are both 6-10, and Diarra functions as the Wolfpack’s most important rebounder over Burns.
It’s no secret Burns isn’t the most athletic forward, which limits his rebounding ability, but he does use his height and weight to simply impose himself on defenders when he has the ball in his hands. Every defender knows what Burns is going to do when he has the ball, and they still struggle to stop it because of the size and strength factor.
Burns can carve up interior defenses by powering his way closer and closer to the basket, where he either lays it in or puts up a hook shot. More often than not, that hook shot seems to find its way in.
Standing at 6-9 certainly helps, especially with the way Burns can move defenders out of his way.
MORE: Ranking each Sweet 16 team’s chances to win title
DJ Burns Jr. weight
NC State lists Burns as 275 pounds.
You can’t necessarily control what type of body you’re given, but you can use it to your advantage. Burns has done exactly that, and he knows it.
“I watched a lot of Hakeem Olajuwon growing up. I just ended up with a Zach Randolph body,” Burns told reporters before the season.
Charles Barkley made the comparison between Burns and Randolph during NCAA Tournament coverage, explaining that Burns has Randolph’s “I’m going to get where I want to at my pace” mentality.
“It’s beautiful to watch. Sometimes, we get so enamored with guys that can run and jump who don’t have any idea how to play basketball. This kid knows how to use his body and play basketball,” Barkley said.
Randolph was listed as 6-9 and 250 pounds later in his NBA career, but he’s proof that a player doesn’t have to be the most athletic to make a real impact with his size. Randolph didn’t even make a 3-pointer until his third NBA season, but he still managed to earn two All-Star selections in his career.
While those types of players are becoming rarer in the modern-day NBA, the collegiate level is somewhere players of all sizes and shapes can make a high impact. Burns’ motor and energy, along with his size, have made him tough to stop.
MORE: Predictions and best bets for the Marquette-NC State Sweet 16 matchup
DJ Burns Jr. stats
| Season | School | Games | PTS | REB | AST | FG |
| 2019-20 | Winthrop | 33 | 11.9 | 4.1 | 1.2 | 58.3% |
| 2020-21 | Winthrop | 25 | 10.1 | 3.4 | 0.6 | 58.2% |
| 2021-22 | Winthrop | 32 | 15.0 | 4.5 | 1.1 | 62.6% |
| 2022-23 | NC State | 34 | 12.5 | 4.8 | 1.5 | 56.1% |
| 2023-24 | NC State | 38 | 12.8 | 4.1 | 2.7 | 52.7% |
