"Seems like teammates like to play with him": NC State star DJ Burns gets a nod from $50M-worth Nikola Jokic following Elite Eight win vs. No.4 Duke

After No. 11 seed NC State`s win over No. 4 seed Duke to get to the Final Four, DJ Burns, the Wolfpack's standout big man, received a nod from 2x MVP NBA champ Nikola Jokic.

The Denver Nuggets star was recently asked in a press conference about Burns, and he had nothing but kind words:

"They`re [NC State] not supposed to make it, right? [He`s amazing.] I think he`s so skilled, especially lefty...seems like teammates like to play with him. Gotta be a good guy."

Jokic was especially pointing out the skillset of Burns, who plays like the $50 million-worth superstar at close inspection. Burns is a big guy who lacks athleticism and relies on pure skill and grit to make plays happen. The NC State big man`s abilities were on full display against Duke, who barely contained him the entire game, especially during the Wolfpack`s late second-half run to put the game away.

The fifth-year senior out of Rock Hill, South Carolina finished with 29 points, four rebounds, and three assists while scoring on a couple of and-ones to seal the game for NC State late. The man affectionately known as "Mr. DJ" has led his team to the Final Four for the first time in 41 years.

1983 was the last time the Wolfpack made it this deep into March Madness. And that year, they won the national championship - their second-ever. after their first win in 1974 by defeating top-seed Houston Cougars. This year, they face Zach Edey and the Purdue Boilermakers for a shot at reaching the NCAA Tournament title game after 41 years.

DJ Burns vs Zach Edey: A battle of titans

A battle of potentially mythic proportions between the 7ft. 4 Zach Edey and 6 ft. 9 DJ Burns is brewing in this year`s Final Four. But as amazing as Burns has been throughout NC State`s March Madness run, there`s still no denying that Edey has the upper hand in their upcoming matchup.

With the two stars being anchors of their teams` low-post offenses, expect the game to be slow and deliberate without a lot of chances for fast break points. DJ Burns has been incredibly effective down low for NC State as almost no one has been able to contain his heft, which combined with his quick drop step and soft touch makes him deadly.

But here`s the thing: Burns has never battled in a game like this against someone as massive as Edey before. It will be tougher for him to get a shot off unless he can draw Edey out to the perimeter with midrange jabs. He could also pass things off to his teammates, as DJ Burns has proved to be a great passer out of the post--not on the level of someone like Jokic, but good enough to be effective.