3 Mid-Major Transfer Targets Emerge for Gainey, NC State
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RALEIGH — Now that his staff is finalized, Justin Gainey is getting into the swing of things in transfer portal season as he builds up NC State men's basketball. The Wolfpack lost the majority of its production from the 2025-26 roster to graduation and the transfer portal, especially after Will Wade's departure following just one season at the helm.
Gainey and the Pack hosted talented Santa Clara transfer Christian Hammond for a visit that began on Saturday, including a quick trip to Doak Field at Dail Park to take in a victory for Wolfpack baseball. However, the rest of the staff is working hard to find other targets, with three reportedly jumping to the top of the list over the last 24 hours alongside Hammond.
Torey Alston - Middle Tennessee
The Wolfpack needs to add several frontcourt players to accommodate Gainey's plans for toughness as the identity of the program, so digging into the local talent well might be a worthy strategy. Middle Tennessee forward Torey Alston is from nearby Durham, N.C. and reportedly held a Zoom meeting with the Wolfpack earlier in the week.
Alston averaged 13.1 points and 7.9 rebounds in his sophomore season with the Blue Raiders, helping the team to a 17-15 finish in Conference-USA. Gainey indicated his interest in winning the state of North Carolina in the recruiting battle every year so that sentiment might apply to the transfer portal as well. Getting a productive player like Alston in the building would go a long way toward establishing dominance over local talent and boxing out the rival Tobacco Road program.
Jimmie Williams - Duquesne
NC State showed up on a list of interested teams for Duquesne guard Jimmie Williams, another highly productive mid-major player out of the Atlantic-10. The Wolfpack is clearly identifying players with a proven track record, no matter what level it comes at, so Williams fits that mold after a very successful junior season with the Dukes. He also fills a massive need at guard for the Pack.
Williams averaged 15.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game as a junior, prompting his portal move after proving his worth in the A-10. The defensive numbers might be the primary source of appeal, especially coupled with his size at 6-foot-5. The guard shot just 33.3% from 3-point range, but obviously made up for it with interior scoring ability and defense. He's one to watch for NC State in the coming weeks.
DeSean Goode - Robert Morris
Robert Morris forward DeSean Goode, the Horizon League Player of the Year, plans to enter the @TransferPortal, source told @On3.
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) March 23, 2026
The 6-8 sophomore originally from Fairmont, West Virginia averaged 15.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game this season. Represented by @lamfsports.… pic.twitter.com/no6Jx6VpP0
The Wolfpack is in the mix for one of the more coveted mid-major players in the transfer portal, DeSean Goode, the reigning Horizon League Player of the Year from Robert Morris. Goode is interested in a visit with NC State in the coming days, according to a report from 247Sports.
The 6-foot-8 forward thrived in his lone season with the Colonials, scoring 15.2 points while adding 8.7 rebounds per game. A frontcourt asset with a pedigree as impressive as Goode's would help Gainey establish himself in the transfer market quickly, only building from there.
Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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