NC State star DJ Burns has taken the college basketball world by storm with his impressive play in the NCAA Tournament, leading to a Final Four run for the Wolfpack. But as more have seen him, there has been talk that he could have more potential with his size in the NFL than in the NBA.
Burns has reportedly received interest from NFL scouts and front offices in recent weeks as a potential developmental offensive line prospect. Standing at 6’9” and weighing around 275 pounds, he does have the size to be an elite-level offensive tackle.
On Thursday, Burns was asked about this possibility, where he definitively said that he does not have any interest in an NFL career and would much rather pursue basketball.
NC State star DJ Burns says he has "zero" interest in playing football despite reported interest from NFL teams. pic.twitter.com/wEbOXBRdu3
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) April 4, 2024
“Yeah, zero (interest),” said Burns. “I mean, yeah, zero.”
It’s understandable why Burns feels this way. He has been praised by some big-name basketball players in recent weeks, including Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic who spoke very highly of him when asked about some comparisons in their games.
While Burns doesn’t have ideal NBA size as a big man, he could potentially find his way onto an NBA roster next year if he continues his impressive play throughout the NCAA Tournament.
His next chance will come on Saturday when NC State takes on the Purdue Boilermakers and star big man Zach Edey, where he will get to show how he competes against someone with NBA-level size.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.