Everything to know about NC State's big man D.J. Burns Jr.

Watching an N.C. State basketball game, it's hard to miss D.J. Burns Jr.

Chances are, his highly visible frame drew you to ask some questions about the NC State Wolfpack big man, with easily one of the first questions being: Why doesn't this guy play football?

Burns helped lead the Wolfpack to a shock ACC title win and then a first-round victory in March Madness. Texas Tech admitted he was a primary focus of how they prepared for the opening-round game.

As the Wolfpack advance deeper into the March Madness tournament, here's everything to know about Burns.

What are D.J. Burns Jr.'s measurements?

D.J. Burns Jr. is a big boy, measured per the team's website at 6-foot-9 and 275 pounds. In the team's first-round game of the tournament against Texas Tech, Burns bowled over defenders and was caught in a few offensive fouls, with teams clearly willing to let him charge through for the cost of a whistle.

For someone like Burns, the challenge may be controlling his sheer force.

Why doesn't NC State coach Kevin Keatts play him more?

This is a complicated question that doesn't have a blanket answer, because it often comes down to matchup. Against Syracuse, Keatts was worried about the team's rebounding, and put other players in to get more action off the glass.

At times, coaches are prioritizing things like growth for younger players in the gameplan as well. Burns is 23, one of the older players on the team. In March Madness, giving growth opportunity likely contributes very little, though.

Why doesn't D.J. Burns Jr. play football?

Burns focused his energy and attention on basketball from a relatively young age.

How old is he? Is he an undergraduate or graduate student?

Burns is 23 years old and a graduate student at NC State. He went to Winthrop from 2019-22, and previously attended Tennessee, only as a redshirt.

Where is D.J. Burns Jr. from?

Burns is from Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he went to York Preparatory Academy.

D.J. Burns's imbalance with personality, frame made him an elite passer

An article from The Herald from his prep school days described Burns as a gentle giant who ostensibly needed to learn to use his size to dominate. He was as interested in sharing the rock and making other teammates happy as he was in scoring his own points.

His home life and parental examples may have contributed to that selflessness, considering his parents took in children from unstable homes.

Elite athlete, better musician?

Burns's mother was a musician, and he picked that up in his own right. An article from The Herald wrote about his extensive musical skills. He can play handbells, standup bass, tuba, piano, and saxophone.

Who is D.J. Burns Jr.'s senior, and parents?

D.J. Burns Sr. is a probation and parole agent for York County. His mother is an assistant principal at a middle school.