NC State’s frontcourt just got a lot more interesting for 2026-27.
The Wolfpack entered the offseason with a clear issue up front after Will Wade left for LSU and Justin Gainey took over. NC State kept only one rotation player from that roster, 6’5 sophomore guard Paul McNeil, who averaged 13.8 points per game. From there, Gainey and his staff rebuilt with nine transfer additions, and most of the attention early on went to the backcourt.
Christian Hammond arrived from Santa Clara. Preston Edmead came in from Hofstra.
Darius Adams joined from Maryland. The frontcourt, though, looked thinner on proven production.
Kyle Evans, a 6’10 big man and the Defensive Player of the Year at UC Irvine, was one key addition. Shah Hall, a JUCO big man transfer, was brought in for depth.
At the four, NC State added Eemeli Yalaho, a 6’8 forward who averaged 10.1 points and 5.7 rebounds at Washington State. Sophomore forward Zymicah Wilkins is back after redshirting last season, and three-star freshman Robert Jurkovic is also in the mix.
That’s why Saturday’s news matters so much.
Ven-Allen Lubin will return to NC State for his fifth season, according to a report from 247Sports. Lubin, a 6’8 forward, has spent four years at four different high-major programs - Notre Dame, UNC, Vanderbilt - and last season became one of the Wolfpack’s most reliable pieces. He started all 34 games and posted career-best numbers of 13.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while shooting 67% from the field.
He also delivered eight double-doubles, including a 24-point, 10-rebound outing in overtime against Notre Dame.
Lubin changes the shape of this roster. He gives NC State a clear offensive hub in the paint, even if he isn’t a floor spacer. Pairing him with Evans should give the Wolfpack a sturdier rebounding base and more interior defense, while Lubin’s rim-running ability gives the guards a useful target on screens.
If he remains eligible, it’s a major boost for a roster that needed exactly this kind of proven frontcourt presence. It also strengthens NC State’s case as a team to keep an eye on in the top half of the ACC.
The Wolfpack may still not be done, either, with former Florida center Micah Handlogten reportedly in the mix. Whether Lubin’s return changes that picture or NC State’s starting frontcourt comes together in August is still to be seen.
In Other News...
NC States Push For A Difference-Making Big Just Got More Complicated
NC States search for a difference-making big man is suddenly moving in a more complicated recruiting landscape. A Texas court granted a Temporary Restraining Order that gives 36 athletes immediate eligibility to play, and among that group are three players the Wolfpack have had on their radar. The ruling only adds another layer to a market that has already been shaped by constant movement, eligibility uncertainty and the need for programs to decide quickly where their resources should go.
The Wolfpack have been in ongoing communication with Ven Lubin and Micah Handlogten, two names that fit the kind of frontcourt help they are trying to add. But any pursuit now has to be weighed against the financial terms involved and the ripple effect of these latest eligibility decisions, which can change the board almost overnight. For NC State, the challenge is no longer just identifying the right big. It is figuring out whether it can stay in the race long enough to get one. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Just Got A Huge Ven-Allen Lubin Boost
NC States roster plans got a significant lift with Ven-Allen Lubin when a Texas court stepped in to block immediate enforcement of the NCAAs new age-based five-for-five rule. The Temporary Restraining Order gives Lubin and other athletes protection from being declared ineligible while the issue is being sorted out, and it comes at a key moment as the Wolfpack move toward finalizing his addition for the upcoming season.
For NC State, the practical impact is important because Lubin now has a clearer path to staying on the floor as the team builds out its frontcourt. The broader eligibility fight is still unfolding, including a separate class-action case in Colorado, but the Wolfpack can at least plan with more confidence for now as they work through the last steps of bringing him aboard. [Read more 🡒]
NC States Early Bet On Jamil Robinson Already Looks Smart
NC States June offer to Jamil Robinson looks a lot more foresightful now than it did when it was first extended. The 6-foot-11 power forward in the 2027 class was still unranked and unrated by the major recruiting services at the time, but his stock has climbed since then, with 247Sports and Rivals both moving him up to a 3-star prospect.
Robinson is also set to get a fuller look at the program soon, with an official visit to Raleigh scheduled for September 11 as a committed recruit. For a staff that got in early, the timing only adds to the appeal, because Robinsons rise has already begun to validate the Wolfpacks belief before he even steps on campus for that visit. [Read more 🡒]