Breakout March Madness hero dubbed the ‘new Zion Williamson’ sets up mouth-watering Final Four clash with giant Zach Edey

This year’s Final Four will feature a clash between two absolute players Unitedct

On one side of the bracket, No. 1 seed UConn will face No. 4 seed Alabama, and on the other, No. 1 seed Purdue will face No. 1 seed #11, NC State.

Purdue vs. NC State will pit two of the biggest names in this year’s NCAA tournament against each other as the Wolfpack’s DJ Burns takes on Boilermakers giant Zach Edey for a spot in the national championship.

Burns is America’s new favorite hero and part of the Cinderella NC State team that punched its ticket to the Final Four for the first time since winning the 1983 national championship.

The fifth-year big man led 11th-seeded NC State to victory over the No. 4-seeded Duke Blue Devils on Sunday, recording 29 points, four rebounds and three assists in the 76- 64.

Edey, meanwhile, is the anticipated national player of the year and scored a career-high 40 points and 16 rebounds in the Boilermakers’ 72-66 win over Tennessee in the Elite Eight.

Edey is a 7-foot-4, 300-pound threat while Burns, who has been compared to NBA star Zion Williamson, is 6-foot-9, 275 pounds.

The two powerhouses are set to face off in Saturday’s Final Four and fans can’t wait to see the heavyweight showdown.

“DJ is burning and Zach Edey is going at it in the post that will be must see TV. We love March Madness,” one fan wrote.

“The DJ Burns Jr. vs. Zach Edey matchup will be must-see TV at the Final Four. Get your popcorn ready,” wrote former NFL star turned analyst Robert Griffin III.

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“Zach Edey vs. DJ Burns in the Final Four? Over six hundred pounds of surprising skill colliding in the paint? Can we really be that blessed?” » asked another.

Edey is a star on the college basketball circuit but Burns is less well known.

He attended York Prep Academy in Rock Hill, South Carolina and was a four-star recruit and the No. 3 prospect in South Carolina behind current NBA players Zion Williamson and Aaron Nesmith in 2018.

Burns spent his first three seasons with the Winthrop Eagles before joining the Wolfpack in 2022-23 and was named South Region MVP.

He is a threatening interior presence and was an integral part of the Wolfpack’s improbable run through the ACC and NCAA tournaments where they won nine straight playoff games.

Burns has averaged 18.2 points and five rebounds so far in March Madness and has 14 assists.

NC State will need another heroic performance from Burns this Saturday if they want to upset “Goliath” Edey and the No. 1 seed Boilermakers.