Five-Star PG Praises NC State After Official Visit

Will Wade had the honor of hosting Deron Rippey Jr. over the weekend. The five-star point guard is one of the top recruits left in the Class of 2026, and NC State is going all-in on landing Rippey.

After Dylan Mingo had to cancel his visit due to the weather, this visit became that much more important. Instead of Wade having back-to-back five-star guards come to town, he only had one chance to make an impression.

Ultimately, Rippey liked what he saw. When speaking to The Wolfpacker's Jacey Zembal, the 6'2'' 175-pound guard out of New Jersey spoke his mind. Wolfpack fans were more than generous to Rippey while he was in town, as they know how much of an impact he could make on the team next season.

Deron Rippey Recaps NC State Visit

5⭐️ PG Deron Rippey Jr. left his NC State official visit with a positive impression from his experience in Raleigh.

And, yes, he liked the "We want Rippey" chants from the student section.

More from the nation's No. 5 recruit: https://t.co/lbvu8YkUQo pic.twitter.com/wycFMQug6j
— The Wolfpacker (@TheWolfpacker) November 10, 2025

During his visit, Rippey got to see the Wolfpack in action. He attended their game against UAB, one that Wade's squad controlled the entire game. In the end, they came out on top, 94-70. NC State was just six points shy of dropping 100+ in their first two games.

"We Want Rippey" chants filled the Lenovo Center as Wolfpack fans knew who was in town and didn't want to let this moment slip away from them. Rippey spoke, "It was great and great to know how bad they want me. The support system they have down there at NC State is really good."

Oct 8, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State head coach Will Wade answers questions from the media at The Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

"The love for basketball is very intense down there. They have tons of rivalries," Rippey added. "It's very competitive as well. I want to play on the highest stage of college basketball."

NC State's Pursuit Of Rippey

Sunday Blessings- The Rippey Family Would Like To Thank Coach Wade, GM Slater And @PackMensBball Coaches And Staff For An Amazing Official Visit#Grateful#TGBTG#
WeWalkByFaithAndNotBySight!
Ron Ron We Super Proud Of You!
Driven, Dedicated And Determined! pic.twitter.com/U8fh9XoaZg
— Deron Rippey Sr. (@rippey_deron) November 9, 2025

While the No. 1 player in New Jersey may not be active on social media, his father has been keeping everyone in the loop in terms of his recruitment. This NC State visit was the last of his journey, and his father will soon be announcing his top schools.

NC State is clearly in the mix, but it's not going to be easy. Sure, Wade was able to land Cole Cloer, a player no one thought NC State ever had a chance of getting. Cloer's relationship with Rippey could be a huge advantage for the Wolfpack, but they're still going up against top competition.

Knowing Rippey had official visits with Tennessee, Duke, Kentucky, Syracuse, among others, it's going to be an extremely competitive field, as it should be for arguably the No. 1 point guard in the Class of '26.

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