RALEIGH — NC State’s depth chart for Kevin Keatts’ first season just got deeper and more talented. Lavarr Batts, the No. 1 recruit in North Carolina according to 247Sports, announced he will flip from VCU to the Wolfpack on Saturday afternoon.”Ever since my sophomore year I loved State,” Batts told Evan Daniels of Scout.com. “I always wanted to go to State. After everything that happened I thought about it. I prayed about it and God brought it back in my life. He works in mysterious ways and this was the time he wanted it to happen.”Batts originally committed to VCU when Will Wade was the head coach. Following Wade’s departure, Batts was heavily recruited — again — by Keatts, who wasn’t able to earn a commitment from the 4-star point guard when he was at UNCW.Given the prior relationship with Keatts and his love for NC State, Batts said it was an easy decision to make the switch.”When I first found out about the possibility and went there I was like, ‘Oh this is the place'” Batts told Daniels. “And I told my parents this is where I want to be.”If Markell Johnson remains on the NC State roster, Keatts has two point guards to give him depth at the position. Running a fast-paced offense, Keatts now has a bevy of guards who can spread the floor and hit shots from behind the arc.There are still a lot of moves to be made this spring and summer, but adding Batts in the fold gives Keatts instant credibility with players in N.C. If players like Abdul-Malik Abu, Maverick Rowan, Torin Dorn and Ted Kapita all stay in Raleigh and Terry Henderson is granted another season of eligibility, Keatts suddenly has a roster that has both depth, experience and athleticism — three crucial components for Keatts’ system.
