Five-Star NC State Target Sets Commitment Date

A 2026 Five-Star point guard that NC State has been targeting recently set his commitment date.

Dec 6, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Tre Holloman (5) high fives forward Ven-Allen Lubin (22) and forward Darrion Williams (1) during the second half of the game against UNC Asheville Bulldogs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

NC State and head coach Will Wade have done an impressive job so far in the 2026 recruiting cycle, landing commitments from four-star small forward Cole Cloer and four-star center Trevon Carter-Givens, while also making progress with a few other top prospects. 

One of those prospects is a five-star point guard who included NC State in his final four schools and recently announced his commitment date for the end of December. 

NC State Point Guard Target Sets December Commitment Date

On Dec. 15, Rivals' Joe Tipton reported on X that Deron Rippey Jr., a five-star point guard from Blair Academy in Brooklyn New York, had set his commitment date for Dec. 30.

NEWS: 5⭐️ Deron Rippey Jr. will announce his college commitment on December 30th, he tells @Rivals.

The 6-1 point guard is the No. 6 overall player in the 2026 class, per Rivals.https://t.co/iUMr2JSALP pic.twitter.com/Xs8P44IGii

— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) December 16, 2025

In November, Rippey announced that his decision would come down to five schools: NC State, Duke, Tennessee, Texas, and Miami. The Wolfpack have been actively pursuing the five-star point guard throughout his recruitment, and hosted him on campus for an official visit on Nov. 9.

About a week ago, the 6'2" guard spoke with Rivals about each of his final programs and mentioned that he has a strong relationship with Wolfpack general manager Andrew Slater and is a fan of Wade's ability to win wherever he is. 

Dec 6, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack huddle with head coach Will Wade during the second half of the game against UNC Asheville Bulldogs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

• “Andrew Slater and I’ve had a relationship with for like I think five plus years,” Rippey told Rivals. “He’s been watching me since I was a little kid. So that definitely is important to me. And I feel like Will Wade has won everywhere he’s went. No matter the stuff that he went through in the past, you know, I think he’s a winning coach and that means something.”

While five schools are still in the race, Rivals' Jamie Shaw believes his decision will ultimately come down to NC State and Duke.

Dec 6, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade looks on before the first half of the game against UNC Asheville Bulldogs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

• "In my conversations, as we got further into the fall, the talk around Duke and NC State continued to build, with most of my sources talking about this as a two-team race," Shaw wrote in a recent article.

While Shaw noted that Duke currently seems to be the favorite to land Rippey, it's clear that NC State has a strong chance to bring in the five-star. He would be a huge addition to the Wolfpack's 2026 class, as Rivals' industry rankings list him as the No. 10 overall player in the country and the No. 2 point guard.

With his decision coming on Dec. 30, Wolfpack fans won't have to wait much longer to find out if they will secure a commitment from Rippey.

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