How NC State Can Leverage Hammond Commitment Into Frontcourt Help

RALEIGH — NC State broke the seal on its transfer portal acquisitions when it added Santa Clara combo guard Christian Hammond on Monday. That news marked the first addition made under first-year head coach Justin Gainey, who is in the midst of a rebuild of the program he played for from 1996 to 2000 before going on to have a lengthy run as an assistant coach around the country.

Hammond marked a big win for the Wolfpack, as adding a four-star transfer talent should give the program some punch with other recruits moving forward. However, NC State still has major needs in the frontcourt, but adding Hammond could offer Gainey and his staff an inside connection to a center in the transfer portal from Santa Clara, Bukky Oboye.

Connections always help

Mar 20, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Santa Clara Broncos center Bukky Oboye (12) dunks the ball against Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler (5) during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

NC State hasn't shown any hesitance in leveraging other connections in the transfer portal. First, Gainey turned to his former coach and mentor, Herb Sendek, at Santa Clara for information about Hammond before he committed. The new leader of the Wolfpack is also trying to dip back into the waters at Tennessee after serving as the associate head coach for Rick Barnes, targeting talented guard and North Carolina native Bishop Boswell.

What's stopping Gainey and his staff from making a run at Oboye? The redshirt sophomore big man stands 7-foot-1 with a 220-pound body to work with his frame, making him an ideal player for the Wolfpack in its quest for more toughness and positional size in the 2026-27 season. Oboye averaged 7.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 17.8 minutes per game as the starting five for the Broncos.

Herb Sendek, Bukky Oboye — Mar 20, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Santa Clara Broncos head coach Herb Sendek talks to center Bukky Oboye (12) against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images | Jeff Le-Imagn Images

Oboye could be a nice fit in Gainey's new system, which will blend elements of every coach he's studied under over two decades as an assistant. Still, the scheme will be dependent on size and Oboye certainly offers a major solution to that problem for a Wolfpack team without a solidified frontcourt at this point in the transfer portal season.

Hammond and Oboye were members of the same freshman class, both using a redshirt during their three years at Santa Clara before taking on massive roles for the Broncos in the 2025-26 campaign. As there is for any big man in the modern portal system, Oboye will have a robust market around the country given his success in limited action. Many teams are hyper-focused on adding a true center after watching Michigan dominate with a player like Aday Mara.

Tennessee associate basketball coach Justin Gainey tells players to sub in during an NCAA college basketball game against Gardner-Webb on Dec. 21, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gainey already took one player from a Santa Clara squad that had Kentucky on the ropes in overtime during the NCAA Tournament. There's no question that the WCC is a quality mid-major league, with many players successfully making the jump to the high-major level from programs in the conference in the past. NC State should take advantage of a unique opportunity and relationship while it can.

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