How Justin Gainey Can Help Paul McNeil Grow as a Player

RALEIGH — NC State is getting one of the best shooters in the ACC back for the 2026-27 season, with Paul McNeil set to return for a third year with the program. It was a long decision-making process for the talented guard, but he ultimately chose to stay home and continue to represent a school that gave him his shot as a collegiate basketball player from Rockingham, N.C.

McNeil thrived in his sophomore year under former Wolfpack coach Will Wade, blossoming as a 3-point shooter with the ultimate green light from the previous regime. Now, the challenge for the program's new head coach, Justin Gainey, will be to further develop other areas of McNeil's game as the rising junior becomes the focal point of the Pack. What are those aspects of the guard's skillset?

Improved defense

Mar 7, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Paul McNeil Jr. (2) guards Stanford Cardinal guard Benny Gealer (5) during the first half at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Gainey's program is meant to be built on toughness and a strong defense, so his starting five needs to have players who can thrive on both ends of the court. At 6-foot-5 with an impressive wingspan and underrated athletic ability, McNeil has the ingredients of a quality defender who just needs some coaching to get him to a higher level in that part of the game.

Luckily for the guard, Gainey helped a plethora of players with similar profiles over his time at Tennessee. As the defensive coordinator in Knoxville, Gainey turned the Volunteers into one of the most consistent top defenses in the country, often utilizing 3-and-D wings to help on the perimeter as the first line in the battle against the opposition. If he can get McNeil to buy in and improve some of his instincts, there's reason for optimism when it comes to the junior as an All-ACC player.

Adding dimensions to the offense

In the 2025-26 season, McNeil attempted 9.4 shots per game. 7.2 of those attempts came from beyond the 3-point line. Even with defenders draped over him, the guard still knocked down 42.7% of his attempts from deep, a torrid clip and the best in the ACC. However, there won't be the same level of threat around McNeil in the 2026-27 season, as most of the top producers not named McNeil are gone.

Opposing coaches know the rising junior is going to be the focal point of the Wolfpack's offense next year. If McNeil can catch them off guard by adding some improved ball-handling ability and comfort in the mid-range, he could not only raise the ceiling of the Wolfpack but also his potential as an NBA draft prospect.

Gainey worked with players like Chaz Lanier, Dalton Knecht and Santiago Vescovi over the last three seasons with Tennessee, all talented guards with quality 3-point shooting ability. Those players grew their offensive skill set under the associate head coach for the Volunteers, with Knecht doing enough to get drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft.

If McNeil can be even more potent as a scorer by improving his ability to get open off the ball and adding some driving ability and strength inside, the Wolfpack offense might be even more explosive than it was under Wade.

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