VIDEO of NC State’s Kevin Keatts, Wolfpack at ACC Tipoff
NC State basketball’s Kevin Keatts, Michael O’Connell, Jayden Taylor were at ACC Tipoff on Wednesday in Charlotte. Here’s video of their interviews.
N.C. State basketball Trey Parker has long embraced his “Showtime Trey” moniker, but he’s ready to show he’s more than a social media sensation.
Known for his elite athleticism and high-flying moves above the rim, Parker enters his freshman season with the Wolfpack hoping to prove he’s not just a dunker; he’s a basketball player.
“I’m ready to show a lot of people I’m more than just highlights,” Parker said in late September during N.C. State’s annual media day at the Dail Basketball Center.
“. … I’m my own person. At the end of the day, I just go out there and be myself, and give ‘em what they want to see.”
The Fayetteville native leaned into his “Showtime Trey” mentality after his first dunk — a one-handed slam on a fast break — as a seventh-grader at Mac Williams Middle School.
“From there to now, I’ve just been building on my name and building on myself,” Parker said.
“Everybody’s been calling me ‘Showtime’ with all these things I can do, but at the end of the day, I’m just giving my grace to God and just working myself out.”
The 6-foot-1, 165-pound guard arrives at N.C. State as a three-star recruit in the 2024 class. His older brother, Kwe, played college basketball at Tennessee and North Carolina A&T.
As a freshman at Cape Fear High School in the 2019-20 season, Parker helped the Colts win their first playoff game in 15 years. He went on to play at New Life Christian Academy before joining Overtime Elite in Atlanta.
In two seasons with OTE, Parker averaged 11.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.
As one of eight newcomers for the Wolfpack, which is coming off an ACC Tournament championship and Final Four run, Parker said he’s had “meaningful conversations” with head coach Kevin Keatts about what it takes to be a college basketball player, including maintaining grades, getting on a consistent schedule and “bringing it” every day in practice.
“Our freshmen are really talented. … Trey Parker is a combo guard that can play (point) and (shooting guard), super athletic and very quick,” Keatts said at ACC Tipoff in Charlotte.
“. … The biggest thing for all freshmen, including my freshmen, they have to learn to compete every day. I think you see moments where maybe on a Monday or Tuesday, they’re really good. Thursday and Friday, they struggle. It’s more about being consistent.”
Senior guard Jayden Taylor, one of N.C. State’s leaders entering the 2024-25 season, noticed Parker’s competitiveness throughout offseason workouts in Raleigh.
“Trey, that’s my guy. The one thing about Trey, he loves to compete. He’s a really big competitor and I’ve seen him grown in his playmaking,” Taylor said.
“Him getting stronger in defending, with going from high school to college, it’s an adjustment. It’s not gonna happen overnight, but I think his ability to just wanna learn more, and knowing it’s gonna be an adjustment, that’s been eye opening to me. A lot of guys can come in and have their egos, but Trey’s been nothing but open arms to learning.”
But even while he’s learning to embrace the full scope of being a well-rounded college basketball player, Parker isn’t shying away from the name that helped him get to N.C. State.
He’s still ready to put on a show, starting Friday during Primetime with the Pack at Reynolds Coliseum.
“Fans can expect to see a lot of showtime, a lot of showtime,” Parker said with a smile. “That’s what they call me, so you’re gonna see a lot of (jersey No.) 5 this year.”
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
