NC State
NC State's DJ Horne discusses upcoming Final Four game against Purdue
NC State guard DJ Horne spoke about this weekend's Final Four game against Purdue.
So I was wondering if you could try to put into words your whole basketball journey. Uh Yeah, I would just say, you know, it's been a roller coaster. Um And II, I would say I'm just appreciative of the whole journey. Uh I wouldn't be here where I am today if it wasn't every step that I had along the way. So, uh I would just say, yeah, man, roller coaster. What's it like having, you know, finally getting your due after being an underdog, having to fight for everything every step of the way. Uh You know, it's definitely a, a great feeling just to know and see all your hard work that you put in even when, you know, you've been doubted from day one or may not thought the opportunity would never come just to see it all come to fruition in this way. You know, especially with this being my last year of college basketball. You couldn't draw it up any better. What do you remember about playing at Carey High school? I was just there the other day. Uh Yeah, Carey High School was fun. Uh This is where all my friends went to school last. So it was like basically reuniting with them after leaving middle school. Um and yeah, man, it was great hoops and everything there. We didn't quite do as good as I thought we were gonna do. But it was, it was all fun and games because I was there with all my peoples. It means everything. That's the main reason why I came home, came home with that mission uh to come back and make a, make a statement and put my name in history and I feel like that's what I did it for you to be in a Yeah, it, it's, it's really full circle man. Uh just from day one when I remember my name in the portal and that was around the time that they were announcing the tournament was gonna be the, the championship at least was gonna be out here. And I was just thinking to myself like, wow, it would be crazy to be back out there and then look at where I'm at now. So it's crazy. Said he been in touch with you. Um Can you talk about what he's meant to you and how he's kind of been supportive of you even making this. Yeah. Coach Charley was a, a big stepping stone in my journey. Um He definitely helped me open opportunities that I don't think I wouldn't be able to got if I didn't go to Arizona State and, you know, uh I definitely appreciate him for that and, you know, he's definitely been hitting me up along the, uh, the stretch that we've been going on, you know, we, we knocked his guys off twice now, one in the tournament and then, uh, one in the NCAA tournament. So, uh, you know, I'm sure he, he didn't probably like to see that but, you know, being that it was me playing, I'm sure he, he was happy for me and everything but, uh, I know he's gonna be at the game watching everything. So it's good, you know, that you supported me. Was there a moment you realized how much this means to both pack fans? I don't think I'll be able to really, you know, let that all sink in until after, uh, everything is done. You know, we're still having games on our schedule, jobs not done. So there's still a lot of, uh, you know, hope and everything that we can still continue to play. So, uh, I think after everything is all said and done, that's what I really get to, you know, think about it. What's it like watching the women? Yeah, it just, it's, it's all, it's, it's great, man. It's great for the school. It's great for the city and everything. Uh, you know, to have both basketball teams to be in the position that we're in right now. That's not a normal thing. So, uh, the fact that NC State is doing that, uh, you know, I'm just glad to have a part of it. I would just say, you know, coming out of the NBC, coming to the PAC 12. That was a uh a step up in competition level. So going out there being thrown into the fire against that competition and um going through the battles and stuff in the PAC 12, I think it helped me to be more prepared for going to the AC C. Did you ever look back? Yeah, I don't think that you, you know, you could, like I said, draw it up any better than this. You know, I, I think all the time about when I was a kid, you know, you would think about the moments like this uh as a basketball player, you know, you dream about, you know, uh having having memories and being able to make moments like this. So uh just to be here right now, it's just, it's just crazy to know how like where I started to get to this point, how much it went to it. Can you put in the words, the identity of being an NC state basketball player? Just kinda, you know, it's got such a specific kind of vibe around it, I feel. Yeah, you know, I especially being here. Uh I see how, how serious the fans are about the sports here and how, how bad they want to see us succeed. And um you know, I understand that being at the, they haven't seen that in 37 years, at least as far as the championship. So, uh, to be able to do that and see, you know, the, the happiness and joy that it puts on everybody's faces fans, you know, my teammates staff, everybody, man. It's, it's great. How many, how many of your teammates are asking me what they, what it considered to do in Arizona? What are the restaurants like? Yeah, everybody's been, you know, uh definitely asking me, you know, where's the spots to hit up and everything? My coach is trying to put the security on me. So I don't, you know, go outside or anything, do anything. Uh, but, you know, I'm definitely here on a business trip, I'm locked in. I know that, uh, any fun I need to have will be a lot more fun after I get that national championship. You guys are all Trent. Are there any teammates at a su have reached out to you? Congratulated you on making this final? Oh, yeah, just about all of them. Really? Um, I know, you know, we, I stop close relationship with a lot of those guys, uh, was very, you know, tuned in to a lot of their careers where they were playing at. Um, so it was just nice to know that they were, you know, tuned in to me and, you know, still supporting me. All the starting five are transfers. I mean, what is that like? How does that kind of come together where you're all from different schools. Yeah, it just, it just speaks on how, you know, how quickly we built that chemistry and how good of a coach that we have that he was able to bring these guy, bring all of us in from these different places and, and get us to believe in one common goal and understand, you know, wolfpack basketball, would you say you guys are like unique to play against between, you know, you as a shot creator and the DJ burns? Obviously, I would think that, you know, we're definitely a hard team to game plan for. Uh I don't think you can really game play for somebody 300 plus pounds to go out there and battle in the post and then, you know, be able to spread to guys around the perimeter and just shoot, I mean, it's, it's pretty hard to do. So, uh I think that's uh a big key to our success so far. You know, we're gonna try to keep that going. What do you think of Zach Edie? Uh Zach Edie is a great player, man. I, I believe he's leading the nation in scoring, so to be doing that as a big, uh says a lot and, you know, he's definitely, you know, gonna be at the emphasis on our sky report.