Khady Leye’s first look in a Wolfpack uniform pretty much showed why they brought her in.
Yeah, it was just an exhibition against High Point, and NC State won 72-53. But the 6-2 transfer from Auburn started, played 26 minutes, and put up 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting, including 2-of-3 from three, plus four rebounds, two steals, an assist, and zero turnovers. She was a +14. Most of that scoring came in the first half, when the Pack jumped out to a big lead behind steals and transition buckets.
That’s exactly the kind of game Coach Moore was hoping to see.
Filling the gap without missing a beat
After losing Tilda Trygger (the 6-6 forward who gave them size, rebounding, and some shooting) and a few other pieces last offseason, there were legitimate questions about frontcourt depth and athleticism. Leye was the first portal addition for a reason. She’s not as tall as Trygger, but she’s quicker, more explosive, and better suited to guard multiple positions.
At 6-2 with her length and foot speed, she can slide out and bother guards on the perimeter. Guards trying to shoot over her are going to have a hard time. She moves well enough to switch on ball screens and stay in front of smaller players. Early reviews from the High Point game noted how active she was on the ball and how comfortable she looked switching.
Stretching the floor too
The threes matter. Leye barely shot from deep at Auburn (basically 0-for-whatever on limited attempts), so seeing her knock down two of them right away is a good sign. If she can keep that up even a little, it changes how teams have to guard her and opens things up for Pierre, Brooks, and the guards. Stretch the defense on one end, then turn around and use her size and quickness to disrupt on the other. That’s the athletic upgrade.
The Pack forced 18 turnovers and got 12 steals as a team (six of them in the first quarter alone), turning those into 26 points. Leye’s two steals fit right into that. When she was on the floor, things ran pretty clean.
Still early, but the signs are there
It’s one exhibition. Efficiency will get tested harder, and rebounding numbers will need to come up closer to what she averaged before. Still, a clean, productive debut (scoring, defending, and not turning it over) in a starting role is a solid first impression. The losses from last year’s roster don’t look like as big of a deal when you’re seeing this version of Leye already doing the things she was brought in to do.
Moore’s been talking about playing faster, applying more pressure, and making up for less traditional size with athleticism and effort. Leye’s night was a pretty clear example of what that can look like.
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