RJ Keene may not be the kind of player who fills up a box score, but that hasn’t stopped people around the program from talking about how much he matters. As practice for the 2026-27 season draws near - set to begin in 8 days on September 21 - Keene is one of the roster names worth circling, especially if the staff’s praise turns into a bigger role.
Keene is listed as a guard at 6-foot-7, 212 pounds, and arrives as a 3-star transfer from Boise State, ranked No. 373.
Last season he averaged 2.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists, numbers that barely hint at why he keeps popping up in conversations about impact players. Statistician Evan Miya once called him, “ the best player in college basketball that does not score ” - and that description is a pretty good doorway into his game.
The clearest part of Keene’s profile is his shooting range. A huge share of his shots have come from deep, and for his career, 63.8% of his field-goal attempts - 118 of 185 total FG - have come from the arc. He’s averaged 1.34 3PT attempts per game, and back in high school as a junior he knocked down 135 3PT shots, which ranked 10th in the country that season.
He also brings value as a passer. On top of that, he scored most efficiently when the game got loose - on fast breaks or off offensive rebounds - and when he drove the ball, his shots were rarely blocked.
The numbers also explain why his offensive role stays limited. His usage was extremely low, meaning very few Boise State possessions ended with him handling the play.
He also posted a low true shooting percentage, and outside of 3PT shooting, the production was not close to elite. He didn’t get to the line often either, shooting 6 free throws last season and making 3.
Still, the people around him keep coming back to the same idea: Keene helps everything function. Patrick Stacy said, “Can play the 2-4; RJ makes everybody better; we think he is someone who can shoot the 3PT at 40%; there’s more to his game than just being a good defender and rebounder”
PackPride offered an even stronger endorsement, saying, “We’ve heard from multiple sources around the program that RJ Keene is like nobody they’ve seen. It’s hard to take him off the court because when he’s out there, everyone is better, and he just has a knack for winning. If hockey assists were a stat, he’d easily lead the team, and his motor and IQ are just off the charts.”
Coach Driscoll put it in simpler terms: “RJ Keene plays his tail off, he just basically forces you to play him he plays so hard”
There’s also the bigger roster picture. Keene sat out the first two seasons of his college career - one voluntary redshirt and one medical - before playing three seasons, which makes this his sixth year. At this point, he is who he is; there isn’t a dramatic transformation coming.
The question is how that version fits. The front court is six-deep, so there doesn’t appear to be a path for Keene to push one of the forwards out of the rotation unless injury or a major disappointment changes things.
His best fit is on the wing, where his size gives the backcourt a different look. He’s not a point guard, which makes the 2 or 3 his natural home.
Unless Adams turns out to be a bust, Keene’s regular spot looks like it will be behind Paul McNeil on the wing. That’s not a bad place to land.
He won’t replace McNeil’s scoring, but he does give the Pack a respectable 3PT threat, which keeps defenders honest. He’s also the better defender, even if Paul is expected to raise his own level on that end.
McNeil is headed into what the piece calls his “NBA audition” season and is expected to play 30 minutes a game, which would leave Keene in the 5-10 minute range. Even so, he should be able to steal more time in most games as a shut-down defender at the 2, 3, or even the 4 depending on the matchup.
That’s the kind of player Keene looks like now: not the centerpiece, but potentially one of the most useful pieces Coach Gainey has at his disposal.
In Other News...
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NC States Defensive Rotation Suddenly Created A New Role Battle
NC States lopsided 73-0 win over Richmond turned into more than just a tune-up, because the defensive staff used the game to spread the snaps around and see what the rotation can look like once the season gets moving. The Wolfpack played 36 different defenders, giving several players their first collegiate action or career-high workloads, and Brody Barnhardt wound up leading the group with 32 snaps even though he did not start.
That kind of usage has a way of stirring the competition for backup roles and special packages, and a few reserve defenders made the most of the opportunity. AJ Prim and Adrian Farrow were among the players who reached career highs, while others logged their first defensive appearances, but Asaad Brown Jr. never got on the field and will be watched heading into the Vanderbilt game. [Read more 🡒]