Justin Gainey Makes Critical Hire for NC State Staff

RALEIGH — As the transfer portal process is well underway, NC State head coach Justin Gainey is still working to finalize his staff for the 2026-27 season, looking for new assistants to help him in his first year leading the program.

According to multiple reports, NC State is poised to hire Georgia assistant Anthony Goins for a similar role, bringing in the 11-year veteran to potentially handle the offense after a successful pair of seasons in Athens. Goins becomes the second member of Gainey's staff in Raleigh, joining Riley Collins, who came over with the head coach from Tennessee.

Who is Anthony Goins?

New NC State coach Justin Gainey is hiring Georgia assistant Anthony Goins as his offensive coordinator, source told @TheFieldOf68.

Goins, who is from Greensboro, led a high-octane offense this past season that was the highest scoring in the country. Expect State to play FAST.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 8, 2026

Gainey likely became familiar with Goins during his time in the SEC, making him a logical hire if the Wolfpack's new head coach hopes to bring some SEC flavor to the ACC in his first season. Goins is also from Greensboro, N.C., so a return home made sense for the longtime assistant in more ways than one, just as it did for Gainey.

Beyond the connection to the state, Goins proved that he is a valuable member of the staff with the Bulldogs over the last two seasons, helping head coach Mike White bring the program to a pair of NCAA Tournaments. That was a major step for the Georgia program, which hadn't been to back-to-back tournaments since 2001 and 2002.

Anthony Goins, Brad Brownel — Jan 11, 2020; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Brad Brownell celebrates with assistant coach Anthony Goins after the game. The Tigers defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels in overtime at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Before his time at Georgia, Goins worked on Brad Brownell's staff at Clemson, so there is some familiarity with the ACC for the veteran assistant. He worked closely with the team's backcourt at Clemson and helped Brownell develop the consistency the program has come to be known for over the last four years, much like Gainey did at Tennessee with Rick Barnes.

He worked at Yale for three seasons as well, helping those Bulldogs to their first-ever NCAA Tournament win. Former Ivy League coaches tend to have a strong understanding of doing more with less, with some, like Will Wade and Kyle Smith, going on to have successful careers at the Power Conference level. Goins could be the next member of that list if all goes right in Raleigh.

NC State men's basketball coach Justin Gainey speaks during his introductory press conference on April 1, 2026. | Courtesy of NC State Athletics

With Gainey's background being more defensive-oriented, he needed someone to come in with experience running an offense totally different from what he's used to at Tennessee. Goins should be a good option for that, as he had Georgia ranked 16th in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency for the 2025-26 season, according to KenPom.

While the deal isn't official yet and Goins hasn't been announced, reports indicate he is all set to join the staff and might even be helping Gainey with the transfer portal process over the next week.