UConn made the transfer of N.C. State guard Rodney Purvis official on Friday.
The former McDonald’s All-American who played 35 games as a freshman for the Wolfpack uring the 2012-13 season has signed a financial aid agreement to complete his transfer to UConn.
Purvis, a 6-3, 195-pound guard from Raleigh, N.C., will have to sit out the 2013-14 season as per NCAA transfer rules, although he will be able to practice with the Huskies. He will have three years of eligibility remaining, starting in 2014-15.
“Rodney is a great athlete, but first and foremost a great person,” UConn head coach Kevin Ollie said. “We’re very excited that he will be a part of our program.”
Purvis played in all 35 games for the 24-11 Wolfpack last season, starting 23 and averaging 25.5 minutes per game. He averaged 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, shot 44.2 percent overall and 38.5 percent from three-point range. He played 32 minutes and scored seven points in N.C. State’s 69-65 victory over UConn in the Jimmy V Classic last December in Madison Square Garden.
“Rodney is a solid, strong guard who can score in a lot of ways,” Ollie said. “He gets to the hole and he was a good three-point shooter last year. In pick-and-roll situations, we can use him a lot. He loves the up-tempo game. Plus, we can use his versatility. He can play the one, he can play the two, he’s even big enough to play the three, like we used Omar (Calhoun) this year.”
Ollie expects Purvis to help the Huskies even during the 2013-14 season.
“He brings us leadership, even next year,” Ollie said. “No, he won’t be playing, but he gives us a high-caliber basketball player that we can practice against every day. And he’s going to improve just by going against our guards, going through our workouts, and developing. Then, when he plays the following year, he’s going to be hungry, he’ll be chomping at the bit to play. Rodney will come right in and add stability to the backcourt and that’s something we’ll welcome. And he won’t be a freshman. He’ll be a junior maturity-wise.”
Purvis is a product of Upper Room Christian Academy in Raleigh and he was named the North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year, the Associated Press North Carolina Men’s Prep Basketball Player of the Year, and a McDonald’s All-American in 2011-12. In addition, he was a member of the USA Basketball team that won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas U-18 Championship.
