DJ Burns Jr. quickly became a fan favorite during North Carolina State’s memorable March Madness run, but the big man might be hard to recognize these days.
Burns has lost a ton of weight since NC State’s 2023-24 season ended with a loss to Purdue in the Final Four on April 6. Shams Charania of The Ahletic spoke with Burns this week as the 6-foot-9 forward prepares for the NBA Draft, and Burns said he has lost 45 pounds in less than two months.
“He was listed at 275 pounds when he finished the season in college. I saw him at the pro day yesterday. He looked totally different,” Charania said Wednesday. “I talked to him afterward — DJ Burns told me he has lost 45 pounds in the last six-and-a-half weeks. He said he’s doing cardio workouts at 5 a.m. He told me no Ozempic. He said he’s been doing workouts four days a week at 5 a.m. — cardio workouts specifically.”
"DJ Burns told me he has lost 45 pounds in the last six and a half weeks…He told me no Ozempic, he said he's been doing workouts 4 days a week, at 5am."@ShamsCharania on draft project DJ Burns. pic.twitter.com/NPOc9Bxuh8
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 22, 2024
If that information is accurate, that would mean Burns is down to around 230 pounds. A side-by-side photo of Burns from the NCAA Tournament and now proves that the 23-year-old has been putting in serious work.
Burns’ 275-pound frame combined with his excellent footwork and agility worked perfectly for him in college. He has even drawn some interest from NFL teams because of his unique skillset, but he knows the extra weight that served him well at NC State would not have the same impact in the NBA. That is why he is focusing on slimming down.
Most analysts do not expect Burns to be drafted, but he is clearly committed to sticking with basketball. His ability to get into better shape in such a short time frame should impress NBA teams.
