The plan for 7-footer Carson Shanks at Utah State was to redshirt this season, with the hope that the Minnesota native would gain some extra strength and as a result be able to compete with the more physical front courts of the Mountain West. However in December Shanks made the decision to transfer, with his father citing in a story written by Kyle Goon of the Salt Lake Tribune that the young center had a desire to play at a school closer to home.
On Wednesday afternoon North Dakota announced that Shanks has joined the program and will be eligible to practice immediately. According to the school Shanks will have three and a half years of eligibility remaining, and he’ll get to play in games once the 2014 fall semester concludes.“We are obviously excited to add a player like Carson to our program,” North Dakota head coach Brian Jones said. “He is a skilled big man that has a basketball IQ that is off the charts. He passes the ball really well, shoots its really well and can score in bunches.
“But to me, what is even more impressive than his ability on the court, is the character this young man possesses. He is going to add a lot of value to our locker room and with him and Bryce Cashman coming in next season, our future front line will fit nicely against the ones we will be facing in the Big Sky.”
Once eligible to play Shanks with give North Dakota some additional size inside, and that’s a positive with Alonzo Traylor running out of eligibility at the end of the 2013-14 campaign. North Dakota will also lose wing Troy Huff, who has been one of the best players in the Big Sky this season.
North Dakota also has two signees in its 2014 recruiting class: the aforementioned Cashman, who’s a 6-foot-10 center, and point guard Geno Crandall.