NC State is moving quickly in the wake of the recent court ruling that gave players from the 2022 recruiting class an extra year of eligibility, and one of the names on its radar is a familiar one in college basketball circles: Dug McDaniel.
According to reports, the Wolfpack has reached out to the former Memphis guard, who is drawing plenty of attention as teams look to add proven backcourt help for the 2026-27 season. His agent, Scott Nichols, told @thefieldof68 that McDaniel has interest from Arizona State, Stanford, Auburn, Iowa State, USC, Cincinnati, NC State, Utah, Oregon and Duquesne.
That level of demand makes sense. McDaniel has been productive everywhere he’s gone, and his numbers back up why so many programs are circling.
At Memphis last season, he started every game and averaged 13.9 points, 4.6 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game. He was a steady source of scoring, a reliable creator and a disruptive defender for the Tigers all year long.
Before that, McDaniel made an immediate impression at Michigan. As a freshman, he played in 34 games and started 26 of them, putting up 8.6 points, 3.6 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. He then took a big step forward as a sophomore, averaging 16.3 points, 4.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game in 2023-24 while leading the Wolverines in points, assists and steals.
His stop at Kansas State only added to the resume. There, he averaged 11.4 points, 4.9 assists and 1.7 steals, showing he could carry that production across different programs and different conferences without missing a beat.
That kind of consistency is exactly why McDaniel stands out in a crowded late-market search. Over four collegiate seasons, he has played in 124 games and started 107, giving him a rare level of experience for a player still on the board this late.
NC State still has two roster spots open, and the possibility of adding a veteran point guard like McDaniel gives the Wolfpack another route to strengthen the backcourt. The team is already confident in its young guards, including Preston Edmead and Christian Hammond, but a player with McDaniel’s résumé would bring depth, leadership and a long track record of production as Justin Gainey enters his first season.
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His role is bigger now because the expectations are bigger, too. Bailey showed real growth as the season unfolded and already has the look of a player the staff can build around, but the next step is about more than confidence and command. For NC State, the real question is how far he can carry an offense that will be asking a lot from him again. [Read more 🡒]