Former Arizona State guard DJ Horne transfers to NC State

Former Arizona State guard DJ Horne announced his commitment to transfer to NC State on Monday.

After two seasons at Illinois State (2019-21) and two in Tempe, Horne returns to his hometown of Raleigh, N.C., to join the Wolfpack and head coach Kevin Keatts for his final year of eligibility.

“I chose NC State because home is where the heart is,” Horne told On3.com’s Joe Tipton.

it’s a parade inside my city yeaaaa ❤️ WPN let’s rock 🐺🐺 pic.twitter.com/JqXFW8mGUX

— DJ Horne (@djhorne0) April 17, 2023

And according to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, the guard could get an early crack at his old team, as ASU and NC State will be playing in the 2023 Wooden Legacy Classic in Las Vegas.

Horne averaged 12.5 points and 2.4 assists while shooting 37% in his final year as a Sun Devil.

And despite a one-game suspension in the middle of the season, he finished his Arizona State career with strong showings in both the Pac-12 and NCAA tournaments.

He scored 20 points in ASU’s First Four win over Nevada and dropped 17 in the Round of 64 loss to TCU.

“The relationships that I built here from teammates, coaches and fans will forever hold great value to me,” Horne told Tipton when entering the transfer portal on March 24.

“Sun Devil nation and the city of Tempe, I am beyond thankful for all the support and love you guys have shown over this fun ride the past two years. I want to express my gratitude to Coach Hurley and the rest of the coaching staff for taking a chance on me and giving me the opportunity to showcase my talents.”

Horne is among the plethora of outgoing transfers, as the Sun Devils could potentially have a new face at all five starting spots next season.

Starting point guard Frankie Collins, starting two-guard Desmond Cambridge Jr. and starting center Warren Washington have all declared for the 2023 NBA Draft. However, both Collins and Washington still have eligibility remaining and have the option of returning to Arizona State.

Meanwhile, the likes of starting wing Devan Cambridge, backup guards Austin Nunez and Malcolm Flaggs and backup bigs Enoch Boakye and Duke Brennan have all entered the transfer portal.

Head coach Bobby Hurley and his coaching staff have been hard at work on the recruiting trail since his two-year extension through the 2025-26 season last month.

Former Louisville forward Kamari Lands, former LSU guard Adam Miller and former JUCO guard Malachi Davis have already committed to ASU via the portal, while backup wing Jamiya Neal withdrew his name to stay in Tempe.

Hurley’s goal is to “have mostly everything in place” by the first week of May for the 2023-24 roster.

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