With summer camp wrapped up in June and July recruiting visits starting to taper off, coach Gainey finally had a chance to offer a clearer picture of where things stand in summer workouts.
The biggest reason for his optimism is the front court. Two late additions changed the feel of that group in a hurry, and Gainey said both have already given the staff a better sense of what this roster can be.
Hall brings athleticism. Jurkovic brings experience and versatility.
“Both bring something different, Hall with the athleticism and Jurkovic brings that veteran older piece that’s versitile, can play both spots, can play inside but can stretch the floor and shoot from outside. Adding those two gives me five guys that we can play with down there, so that makes me feel a lot better.”
That depth matters because the program’s identity is already taking shape around the same old pillars: defending, rebounding and taking care of the basketball. Gainey said that’s the foundation of Wolfpack basketball, and summer has been about pushing players in ways many of them haven’t experienced before.
Paul McNeil is one of the players embracing that challenge. Gainey said McNeil wants the hard work and doesn’t want any special treatment as their relationship continues to develop.
“Paul McNeil - He wants to be pushed hard. He doesn’t want to be treated any differently. Our relationship is continuing to grow.”
The conditioning numbers tell part of the story. Paul added 8 lbs, Adams added 10 lbs, Wilkins is down 25 lbs, Yalaho is down close to 20 lbs, and Evans added 10 lbs.
Yalaho, in particular, has stood out in ways Gainey didn’t expect. He already knew the shot was there, but the inside game has been a surprise.
“Yalaho - I knew he could shoot the ball, but I didn’t know he had the interior presence that he has and the calmness to make plays from the low post at that size, and he’s every bit of six eight without shoes on. And so he’s big.
He’s physical. He can shoot it, but he can also post.”
Evans has also caught the staff’s eye with his athleticism, while Wilkins has earned praise for the work he’s putting in and the progress he’s making. Gainey called him a work in progress, but said it’s enjoyable to watch him develop.
Hall has impressed as well, with Gainey saying he is “further along than I thought he would be.” And Jurkovic has shown the kind of polish that helps an offense stay connected.
Jurkovic - being able to see him and how he executes and how he moves the ball and keeps the offense flowing, and just have that European savvy about his game.
On the perimeter, the guards are already adjusting to a roster full of shooters. That has led to a habit Gainey likes: turning down good looks in favor of better ones.
Defensively, the staff is spending a lot of time on getting McNeil, Hammond and Adams up to speed so they can guard the way Edmead does. Preston Edmead, Gainey said, sets the tone as a pressure defender, and everyone else has to support that effort.
“Preston Edmead is a junk yard dog [on defense]. He will apply pressure and the other guys have got to have his back.
We’ll be in the gaps and making it tough to get paint access. That’s where it all starts.”
That’s the focus right now: defense first, details everywhere else, and a roster that Gainey believes is becoming tougher to scout by the day.
In Other News...
Former Pack Stars Sound Off On NC State's NIL Reality
Former NC State standouts Damon Thornton and Richard Howell used a recent episode of their podcast to dig into one of the biggest shifts in college basketball: NIL and how it has changed the way programs build rosters. Their conversation centered on recruiting, spending and the growing gap between what some power conference schools can throw into the market and what others are able to match, with both former Pack players saying coaching still matters in a system that now asks staffs to manage money as much as talent.
Howell still believes NC State can compete even if it is not always among the biggest spenders, but he also made clear that the margin for error has gotten thinner. Thornton, meanwhile, raised concerns about the instability NIL has created across the sport, where roster turnover can feel constant and coaches are left trying to hold teams together from one year to the next. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Just Got A Huge Answer From Paul McNeil Jr
Paul McNeil Jr. has given NC State a major boost by choosing to return for his rising junior season, a decision that matters even more because he remains one of the Wolfpacks best shooters and most dependable perimeter options. New coach Justin Gainey has already pointed to McNeils offseason growth and the way he has handled himself around the program, while GM Patrick Stacy has emphasized how rare McNeils shooting efficiency is and how much his presence helped the team last season.
For a roster still taking shape under a new staff, keeping a player with McNeils profile is the kind of answer that steadies everything around him. Gainey has also made clear that McNeils role has expanded beyond shot-making, with the guard emerging as a voice in the room and a player the staff is leaning on for more than just points, which makes his return feel like one of the more important developments of the offseason. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Finally Got Some Answers About Its 2026 Offense
NC State has spent the offseason piecing together what its 2026 offense might look like, and the picture is finally starting to come into focus. The Wolfpack will have a mix of familiar pieces and portal additions to work with, led by quarterback CJ Bailey and running back Duke Scott among the returnees, while the staff also brought in help at receiver and elsewhere to fill out the depth chart.
Victor Snow gives that group a useful starting point after arriving from Buffalo with the strongest profile among the incoming offensive transfers, and Davion Gause adds another layer of competition in the backfield. The bigger question now is how all of those pieces fit around Bailey and the returning core, especially with several players bringing different levels of experience and production into the same offense. [Read more 🡒]