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Former NC State forward D.J. Burns signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers as a free agent on Thursday after he was not selected in the 2024 NBA draft, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Charania noted that Burns will join the Cavaliers in the NBA Summer League.
The 23-year-old became a prominent figure throughout the 2024 NCAA Tournament, helping the Wolfpack earn a spot in the Final Four before eventually falling to Purdue.
Before NC State’s improbable March Madness run, the team won the ACC tournament by defeating North Carolina in the title game. Burns was named the tournament MVP, becoming the first Wolfpack player to earn the award since 1987.
After the team clinched a spot in the NCAA Tournament, he improved even further. In five March Madness games, Burns averaged 16.2 points and 4.2 rebounds to go along with 3.6 assists per game. He remained efficient inside the arc, utilizing his bulky frame and soft touch around the rim to shoot 62.5 percent from the field.
Although he was listed at 275 pounds on the school’s website, he reportedly lost 45 pounds following the end of the team’s tournament run as he prepared for the NBA. There was even some speculation about a potential NFL career, although he shot down those rumors after he recounted his eighth-grade football days.
“I scored a lot of touchdowns at tight end, but I was just better at basketball,” Burns said on April 4, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
It may be difficult for him to earn a spot in a crowded Cavaliers frontcourt that includes Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Dean Wade, and Georges Niang. However, Burns will also have the opportunity to showcase his skills for opposing front offices during summer league action as well.
