The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 ■ 13 TRACKING THE PACK NC State got some welcome news when veteran power forward Ven-Allen Lubin received a temporary restraining order from a Texas judge in August, opening the door for a fifth season of col- lege basketball. He announced his return to the Pack the next day, and a temporary injunction granted Sept. 21 subsequently cleared him to play the 2026-27 season. While Lubin will play for the fifth coach in as many years of his college career, Justin Gainey, this will mark the first time he's played at the same program in back-to-back seasons. Coming off career-best 13.6 points and 7.1 rebounds under Will Wade in Raleigh a year ago, Lubin will be a critical piece of Gainey's first NC State roster. Here are the highlights of a recent Q&A with Lubin. What's it like knowing you can play this season with an extra year of eligibility granted via a preliminary injunction? "It's exciting. I'm extremely blessed to have this opportunity. Many people are going through this process right now and some were less fortunate than me to have this opportunity. "I'm honestly just blessed and ready to go this season to make the most of it." Is it nice to have a sense of stability in returning to NC State? "I appreciate Coach Gainey for giving me this opportunity to come back and leaving that roster spot for me. I know he was talk- ing about finding the guy with the right fit to fill that roster spot. "It feels great to come back to a familiar situation, a familiar place with a couple familiar faces. It's really great. I just feel so wel- comed. I feel like I'm at home." How easy was the decision to play for Gainey rather than trans- fer elsewhere? "There were a couple universities that reached out, a lot of great places with a lot of good opportunities and situations. I just felt like with what Coach Gainey is building here and the guys he has here, it's something that's going to be very special. "Adding me to it, I think I can help out with what they're trying to build." You've played for a lot of different coaches in college. What's it like to play for Gainey? "He's very energetic. He shows a lot of passion to the sport because this is where he played. He knows what it takes, the stan- dards and the identity that NC State wants to build and be known for. "Playing for him is something that we want to continue to match and bring the energy every day so we can compete at a high level and achieve our goals." Is it different playing for a coach who also played at the same school? "I don't think it is. I think it's what they want to bring and achieve. When I went to UNC, Hubert Davis had played at UNC, so he has that foundation of knowing what Carolina basketball is. When I played for Will Wade here at NC State, his identity and ré- sumé of winning at a high level showed who he is. "I think it's more about who the coach is and what they're willing to do to serve the team and serve the program the right way." Why do you wear No. 22? "It's a significant number. It's for my fiancée. When she played softball in high school, she wore the number. She didn't continue it into college, and I just wanted to keep that number alive for her." What can we expect to see from NC State this season? "We're looking to be the most connected team on both ends of the floor. We want to continue to develop and compete, day in and day out. We want to make sure we don't leave any regrets on the floor. That's the only way we can continue to come together as one unit to compete at a high level against anybody." Do you feel this team can compete against anybody? "Absolutely. There's no one we can't compete against. It's going to be tough, but we know we're going to come out on top every time." — Noah Fleischman SITTING DOWN WITH: NC State Power Forward Ven-Allen Lubin Lubin achieved career highs in scoring (13.6 points per game) and rebounding (7.1 rebounds per contest) in his first season with the Wolfpack. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS