N.C. State has never had a player win the ACC’s freshman of the year award by himself.
Hawkeye Whitney shared the honor in 1977 with Duke’s Mike Gminski. The Wolfpack has had its share of outstanding freshmen since (the award started in 1976) then but none have won the league’s top prize for first-year players.
Wolfpack (15-14) point guard Dennis Smith Jr. has the numbers to potentially change that but N.C. State’s struggles as a team might work against Smith’s candidacy.
Smith ranks near the top of the ACC in scoring, assists and steals but N.