NC State basketball recruiting: 4-star small forward Jericole Hellems commits to the Wolfpack

Kevin Keatts added the third member to NC State’s 2018 recruiting class on Friday night with the addition of wing Jerricole Hellems, a consensus four-star recruit. Hellems also held offers from Missouri, South Carolina, Florida, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, FSU, and Illinois. (Among, um, a whole bunch others.)

Hellems has not really been a highlight name on the recruiting circuit, so you might be unfamiliar with him. Kid can play, as if his offer sheet suggested otherwise.

In that video, you can see Hellems take advantage of defenders in the paint, but that is not going to be the deal in college, and it won’t be his expected role at NC State, either. Hellems (6’6) can stretch it, which is the more important thing—extending defenses and shooting threes are the name of the game now.

Keatts needs jump shooters and also if they happen to be big kids, that’s helpful. Hellems fits that bill. He’ll be tasked in part with filling Torin Dorn’s role, which is no easy thing, but he has the skills to do it.