Big-frame Finnish guard with long-term upside at NC State
Kontuniemi is a 6-foot-4, 215-pound freshman guard from Helsinki who arrived at NC State as a developmental piece rather than an instant-impact scorer. In his 2024-25 EYBL U20 season, he helped Drive Academy go 12-0 and win the championship, and NC State coach Will Wade called him a player with “untapped potential.” The fit is clear: size, physicality, international experience, and a team-first path to growth. If you want a project guard with upside and maturity, he’s intriguing; if you need immediate high-volume production, he’s not the plug-and-play answer.
