DJ Burns Jr. arrives at the Final Four generating a lot of buzz as March Madness' latest hero

After his breakthrough game in the Elite Eight, Burns is still the talk of the college basketball world

By Kyle Boone Apr 4, 2024 at 10:41 pm ET• 4 min read

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- DJ Burns Jr. can play four musical instruments: the tuba, piano, baritone saxophone and upright bass. He loves fashion. Reading is one of his many hobbies. He has his own song in which he raps about being a beast and feasting. NC State's big man, all 6-foot-9, 275 pounds of him, is a man of many talents, among them now: leading the Wolfpack to their first Final Four since 1980.

Such a towering frame and menacing on-court game could intimidate some -- and the chatter this week leading up to Saturday's NC State game vs. Purdue has been muddied in part about his NFL prospects and whether his dominant interior game might translate to him becoming an offensive lineman -- but anyone who knows him knows that's prattle for one reason.

"He's not that bully that you guys think he is," NC State coach Kevin Keatts said Thursday, shooting down speculation that his big and boisterous center might one day pursue the NFL. "You spent time with him? He's a Teddy bear off the court."

A bully he's decidedly not. The unsuspecting face of March Madness 2024, who said he has "zero" interest in playing football after the season, is a gentle, goofy giant. With stakes as big as a Final Four berth on the line last weekend in Dallas, he cut a rug in a close game while officials reviewed a consequential play late in the game. And as the game was drawing to an end on Sunday and NC State was within arm's reach of downing Duke to reach the Final Four, he clowned Blue Devils fans in the stands by busting a move and breaking some news to them: "Your season's over," he was seen saying.