The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1547338
28 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY NOAH FLEISCHMAN aul McNeil Jr. walked into the Dail Basketball Center practice gym this fall with a large smile across his face. Unlike the rest of his team- mates, who were stationed around the court in chairs spaced a few feet apart, the junior three-point ace was given the NC State-logoed backdrop that his coach stood in front of just a few minutes before. A swath of media members were wait- ing for McNeil. Television cameras and iPhones were laser-focused on the Wolf- pack's longest-tenured player on the cur- rent roster. He held court for upwards of 15 minutes with the large crowd around him, answering all sorts of questions with ease. This would have been intimidating for the usually quiet McNeil just two years ago. But ever since he arrived in Raleigh, he's slowly emerged from his introverted shell. A breakout sopho- more campaign with a school-record- tying 105 made triples a year ago helped with that, making media appearances a regular part of his postgame routine. Now, McNeil seems at ease as he talks. His unique south-central North Caro- lina accent is still ever present, but he's become more comfortable in speaking his mind. While being the center of at- tention might have been daunting if the spotlight were to have appeared on him just 24 months ago, he's learned to em- brace it now. After all, McNeil made the intentional decision to return to NC State for his ju- nior year. He's on his third head coach in as many years with the Wolfpack after Justin Gainey was hired March 31. That revolving door would have chased most players out of town, but McNeil has be- come the center of attention as the lone constant for the rabid fan base. And, well, that's exactly what he desired deep down inside his bones. Building a legacy with the Wolfpack was a key reason why he didn't commit elsewhere during a 23-day stint in the transfer portal this off- season while he explored all of his options. Going into a critical junior season, Mc- Neil has the rare opportunity to become the program's poster child as its loyal na- tive son, which brings an even wider grin to his face as he talks. The ambition to build a legacy at NC State, something that swirled in his mind during his time in the portal, is at the top of his priority list. "I want to be the face of Raleigh," Mc- Neil told The Wolfpacker shortly after all the television cameras and others dispersed throughout the room. "In 2024, there was no way. In 2025, there was no way. Now, I've got the chance to be the face of the organization. That's all I've ever wanted. I've got that. I can't turn that down. That's what I want." Just A Kid From Rockingham Rockingham, N.C., isn't a place that's known for basketball. Back in the heyday of NASCAR, its 1.017-mile short track was a key stop on the circuit from 1965- 2004, with Richard Petty winning a facil- ity-best 11 Cup Series races at the historic venue from 1967-83. Outside of stock cars, the small country city is best known for being the hometown of Leon Levine, the founder of Family Dollar, while two recent NFL players (linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and edge rusher Melvin Ingram) were Richmond County products. But hoops? That's truly never been the case. This isn't a town where college basketball coaches flock in droves to pass through the halls of Richmond Se- nior High to check out the roster like they do at powerhouse programs else- where in the state. McNeil had to forge his own path in a place with a population of 8,815. It wasn't going to be easy for him to reach the heights of college basketball, even though he grew up in a state with a rich history of the sport. To do so, it was going to take a special type of grit. Gainey, a High Point native who spent the past five years on staff at Tennessee, was the earliest college coach to identify the gem of a recruit in McNeil. He was the first to extend an offer to the even- tual top-100 recruit, who proceeded to stack opportunities from more than two dozen programs around the country. From Gainey's perspective, McNeil oozed talent in high school. And, to be frank, growing up in a place where the median household income is $37,224 and is an overlooked recruiting territory on the hardwood, it was going to speak vol- umes about the 6-foot-5, 180-pound scorer for him to achieve his goal of playing on the biggest stage in the sport. "[There's] just a hunger and a drive coming from Rockingham, where I don't know how many players have come out of there," Gainey recently recalled. "To make it, it was going to be tough. It was going to be a challenge." McNeil single-handedly carried Rich- mond to a 2023 state championship game appearance during his illustrious four- year career. He averaged 25.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.0 steals across 94 games with the Raiders, while setting the NCHSAA all-time scoring record with 71 points against Lee County on Jan. 16, 2024, to break the previous mark (67) that had stood since 1950. His determination, one that willed a team without another Division I player deep into the postseason, continued to catch Gainey's eye throughout the re- cruiting process — and even after. So did McNeil's desire to stay at his hometown school rather than jet off to a basket- ball prep school elsewhere, though he P RIGHT RIGHT WHERE HE WHERE HE BELONGS BELONGS Inside Paul McNeil Jr.'s Desire To Stay At NC State After Another Coaching Change