How NC State freshman F Zymicah Wilkins took advantage of redshirt season to transform his body

DAYTON, Ohio — When freshman forward Zymicah Wilkins arrived on NC State’s campus ahead of the summer II class session this past June, he couldn’t do more than two sprints the length of the court before tapping out. Being able to run the floor well is a necessity, especially with how Will Wade likes his offense to get out in transition. So sprinting up and down the court effectively is a key part of earning playing time. And, for Wilkins, that was a struggle. His conditioning wasn’t where it needed to be, and he already arrived on campus well after the rest of the team due to academic reasons. This wasn’t the ideal situation for anyone to be in, especially a first-year player, but Wilkins embraced what was ahead of him: A redshirt season.  Some may be down on themselves in this situation, sulking in the disappointment of not even having a chance to play in a game. But Wilkins didn’t. Instead, his infectious energy and enthusiasm helped him work through a developmental season that was meant to set the table for his future.  “From day one since I got here, I’ve been working on my body,” Wilkins told TheWolfpacker.com earlier this week during NC State’s brief stint in the NCAA Tournament. “I’ve got the right people around me to keep pushing me every day to keep going.” Wilkins donned a smile as he sat in the Wolfpack’s postseason locker room. He oozed confidence about himself and what he worked through to reach this point. NC State hoped that he’d put his head down and work as hard as he could to take advantage of a development process that could set him up for success later in his college career.  And that’s exactly what he did.