The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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MAY/JUNE 2026 ■ 31 All three players shot at least 38.7 per- cent last season, creating a guard trio that can space the floor exceptionally well. In other words, NC State's offense is likely to let perimeter shots fly with these three doing most of the ball handling. McNeil, who attracted significant in- terest from LSU during his three-week period in the transfer portal, is a prized part of an otherwise overhauled roster. Not only does he provide the stability of a familiar face in a key spot, but when he gets hot from beyond the arc, there might not be a better player in the nation than McNeil. The Rockingham, N.C., native shot 42.7 percent from three-point range and tied the Wolfpack single-season record for made triples with 105 in 2025-26. He did all that in 34 games — six fewer than it took DJ Horne to set the school record for most threes in a single season two years earlier. While McNeil will be the face of the Pack squad going into Gainey's first sea- son in Raleigh, both Edmead and Ham- mond will be critical parts of the back- court. The former averaged 16.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists as a freshman, guiding Hofstra to its first NCAA Tourna- ment appearance in 25 years; the latter led Santa Clara in scoring with 15.6 points as a redshirt sophomore to help the Broncos reach March Madness for the first time since 1996. Winning experience matters. NC State seems to have identified that with both Edmead and Hammond, who were the first two transfer portal additions of the offseason. This duo's play at point and shooting guard, respectively, will be criti- cal in winning games ROLE PLAYERS Darius Adams, Kyle Evans, Eemeli Yalaho, RJ Keene II Any good roster needs players who know their roles, and NC State has nabbed a quartet of players via the trans- fer portal who will complement the cen- terpieces of the roster on the court. Adams, a former McDonald's All- American, is a capable driver with a high upside after an up-and-down freshman season at Maryland in which he averaged 10.8 points. The former No. 24 recruit in the nation shot 24.8 percent from three- point range, a rate that is expected to rise with a change of scenery. He is likely to compete with McNeil for playing time but has the skill set to be an impactful player in Raleigh over the next three sea- sons. Keene, meanwhile, is the ultimate "glue guy," a label he gave himself after five seasons at Boise State. The 6-foot-7 guard averaged 2.6 points and 4.6 re- bounds in 22.2 minutes across 31 games played this past season, affecting games with his grit and hustle to dive for loose balls while providing standout defense. Keene is a reserve who could play in short bursts, bringing a different kind of energy and urgency to the floor for the Wolfpack. In the frontcourt, NC State has a pair of players who can affect games in dif- ferent ways. Evans, who arrived after a stint at UC Irvine, led all Division I players with 115 total blocks (3.3 per game) this past season. The 6-10 senior center isn't a bruiser, but he boasts an innate ability to swat shots, while using his athleticism to finish around the rim on the offensive end of the floor. Conversely, Yalaho is a stretch-four who is set to fill the power forward spot. The 6-foot-8 senior, a native of Finland, averaged a career-best 10.1 points and 5.7 rebounds at Washington State last sea- son, doing so with a 39.8 percent three- point clip. Yalaho has the size to hold his own in the frontcourt, but is more than able to space the floor with his knack for hitting long-range shots as well. TO BE DETERMINED Kingston Whitty, Zymicah Wilkins At this point of the roster-building process, there aren't many unknowns. NC State has just two players on its cur- rent roster who have yet to play a minute of college basketball: Wilkins, a redshirt freshman forward, and Whitty, a three- star point guard signee. Wilkins, who was signed to the Pack by Kevin Keatts and spent his first year on Wade's squad, is looking to make his collegiate debut under Gainey. Although he didn't play last season in his redshirt campaign, Wilkins made the most of it by shedding 30 pounds to become more explosive in the frontcourt. A top-70 recruit in the 2025 cycle, Wilkins is looking to make an impact in the upcoming season. He has a soft touch around the rim but can also step out be- yond the arc and knock down a three- pointer, too. While he was relegated to the bench as a true freshman, most around the Pack program raved about Wilkins all of last season. Now, it's on him to show it in meaningful games as a reserve. Whitty, meanwhile, signed with NC State after decommitting from West Virginia. The point guard spent his senior season at Arden (N.C.) Christ School, where he averaged 17.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists to pace the Greenies in the EYBL Scholastic League. If the Pack were to play a game to- morrow, Whitty would likely serve as the backup point guard. The summer workout program will be critical for the freshman, who could earn minutes once the season rolls around. ■ ■ 2026-27 Men's Basketball Roster* No. Name Ht. Wt. Pos. Year Hometown High School/Last College 2 Paul McNeil Jr. 6-5 190 G Jr. Rockingham, N.C. Richmond Senior 33 Zymicah Wilkins 6-8 260 F R-Fr. Rutherfordton, N.C. Christ School — RJ Keene II 6-7 212 G R-Sr.+ The Woodlands, Texas Concordia Lutheran/Boise State — Kyle Evans 6-10 210 F Sr. Aliso Viejo, Calif. Santa Margarita Catholic/UC Irvine — Eemeli Yalaho 6-8 235 F Sr. Jyväskylä, Finland Western Reserve (Ohio)/Washington State — Christian Hammond 6-4 195 G R-Jr. Denver, Colo. Dream City Christian (Ariz.)/Santa Clara — Darius Adams 6-5 190 G So. Manchester, N.J. La Lumiere School (Ind.)/Maryland — Preston Edmead 6-1 170 G So. Deer Park, N.Y. Williston Northampton School/Hofstra — Kingston Whitty 6-2 170 G Fr. Arden, N.C. Christ School * As of May 6