The move to NC State basketball worked wonders for Jahkel Joyner and DJ Horn, both of whom helped the Wolfpack reach the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons.
Joyner and Horn were a pair of gold star players found in the transfer portal for head coach Kevin Keatts. Bowling Green transfer Marcus Hill could become the third guard from the portal to fill the role of lead guard for the Wolfpack.
Hill recently announced his commitment to North Carolina State University after two years at the junior college level and two years at a mid-major program, bringing high praise to Raleigh.
Alabama, Kansas and Oklahoma were among the other schools pursuing Hill, a 6-foot-4 guard who averaged 20.5 points, 5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for the Falcons.
Last season, he started all 34 games, scoring 20 or more points in 19 of them, and scoring 30 or more points in three of those games. Hill also led the team in assists (87) and steals (35).
How Marcus Hill can follow in the footsteps of Jahkel Joyner, DJ Horn
It's unlikely Hill will maintain or improve on his 20-plus points per game average at North Carolina State as he makes the jump from the Mid-American Conference to the ACC.
Joyner and Horn increased their scoring averages as Power Five transfers, but Hill's improvement will be reflected in how efficiently he can play with the Wolfpack.
Joyner averaged 17 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists with the Wolfpack, up from 13 points, 3 rebounds and 2.3 assists at Ole Miss. Horn increased his scoring average from his 12.5 points per game at Arizona State to his 16.9 points per game at North Carolina State.
For the Wolfpack, Horn and Joiner combined to average 51.3% from the field and 37.9% from beyond the arc. Hill will need to get close to those numbers to maximize his ability at State.
Last season, Hill shot 46.6 percent from the field at Bowling Green, including 30.1 percent from 3-point range. He also made 31.8% of his team's shots and ranked within the top 50 players according to KenPom.com.
Marcus Hill joins Wolfpack guards Michael O'Connell, Jaden Taylor and Mike James
Despite losing Horn, Hill won't have to do all the heavy lifting in the backcourt.
Jaden Taylor and Michael O'Connell are two of the Wolfpack's top returners in the backcourt, and Keatts added Louisville transfer Mike James via the portal to add depth to that group.
O'Connell became the team's top facilitator during North Carolina State's postseason push, which featured an ACC Tournament championship and a Final Four appearance. He averaged a team-high 3.2 assists, which will only help Hill as he adjusts to finding his footing in the ACC.
There's also Taylor and James. They both show the ability to make 3-pointers and get to the free throw line at a high rate.
If those trends continue in the Wolfpack's backcourt, things will open up even more for Hill. Hill will come out of the portal into a solid situation to be NC State's next standout guard.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at:rbaxley@fayobserver.com Or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.