LAURINBURG — North Carolina State basketball player D.J. Burns Jr. appeared at Scotland Motors for a scheduled meet and greet Tuesday afternoon.
Burns Jr. said the decision to come to Laurinburg was because of Scotland Motors president, Lee Howell.
“Scotland Motors and Mr. Lee Howell, they provided me with an amazing opportunity to come down and get to interact with some people that are very close to the guys here and everyone that works here,” Burns Jr. said. “Also, I wanted to make it as successful as possible for people who don’t get to come out to our games; you know, give them a little bit to see outside of basketball. Honestly, it’s been all the fun that I imagined it would be and a little better. It’s been a great experience.”
The event lasted from 2-4 p.m. and saw attendees enjoy deserts and beverages, while getting the chance to talk with Burns Jr., have him sign an autograph, or take a picture with him.
Burns Jr. said the best part of doing meet and greets are the “interactions with the fans.”
“They’re always very excited,” Burns Jr. said. “You don’t really realize that, when you hear them cheering in the game, it’s about the sport, but when you get to come to something like this, it’s a lot more personalized. That’s the thing that I enjoy about it; being able to look at people in their faces (instead of) looking into a crowd.”
Howell, who’s notable for his car giveaways at Scotland High School and for Scotland Motors’ numerous awards won over the years, said a big reason he wanted Burns Jr. to do the meet and greet was because of his leadership and hard work on and off the hardwood.
“We appreciate what D.J. stands for,” Howell said. “He’s graduating college, he’s working on getting his master’s (degree); you know, he’s a fine, young man. And not only on the court is he a leader, but if you look, he’s a marketing genius. Before we came here, we went by the hospital and saw some people. He has a good heart and he does a lot for NC State but he’s also a good ambassador for North Carolina.”
Burns Jr., who transferred from Winthrop University to NC State last offseason, recently decided to use his COVID-19 year and return to NC State for his fifth season of eligibility.
He said a big reason for coming back was because he felt he could be a leader with several players leaving the program.
“Contrary to popular belief, I believe that coach Kevin Keatts is one of the best coaches that I’ve ever had,” Burns Jr. said. “We have some teammates who are able to go and explore their NBA options and that opened up a role for me to be able to step in as a leader. And I plan on taking full advantage of it and leading my team to some great wins.”
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