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Major Recruiting Step: NC State Hosts 2026 Guard Kingston Whitty This Weekend

The Wolfpack is set for its first high school recruit visit of the Justin Gainey era, a massive step for the new staff.
Tucker Sennett|
Jan 17, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack ball during the second half of the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images
Jan 17, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack ball during the second half of the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

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North Carolina State Wolfpack

RALEIGH — First-year coach Justin Gainey is working hard to put together a roster for the 2026-27 season after quickly taking over the NC State men's basketball program in early April. While the priority has been transfer portal players thus far, the talented recruiter is ready to turn his gaze to the high school ranks to prepare the Wolfpack for the future beyond his first year at the helm.

NC State is scheduled to host 2026 three-star guard Kingston Whitty for an official visit starting on Friday, according to multiple reports. It's a major step for Gainey and his staff, as the coach indicated high school recruiting would be one of his priorities, to keep as much North Carolina talent within the state if possible.

What to know about Whitty

Whitty, a three-star recruit according to Rivals, was originally committed to West Virginia, but requested a release from his letter of intent and reopened his recruitment during the spring term. The talented guard attends Christ School in Arden, N.C., the same high school as returning Wolfpack forward Zymicah Wilkins, a former four-star recruit from the Kevin Keatts era.

As a senior with the Greenies, Whitty averaged 15.1 points and 3.2 assists across 25 games, according to MaxPreps. At 6-foot-2 and 165 pounds, Whitty still has lots of room to grow, but holds tremendous confidence, particularly on the offensive end. The guard was a particularly effective shooter in his final high school season, something that should appeal to Gainey.

The Wolfpack recruiting strategy

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

At his introductory press conference on April 1, Gainey directly articulated what his plan of attack for recruiting at the high school level will be with the Wolfpack. The former Tennessee assistant had tremendous success returning to his home state with the Volunteers as a recruiter, so there was always an expectation that he'd continue that habit when he accepted the NC State head coaching position. Adding Whitty would be a nice start.

"Everywhere I've been, I've recruited North Carolina and I feel like I've done it at a high level," Gainey said. "I'm ready to take that to another level. I always thought if I were in-state, man, I could really make some noise. I thought I did a pretty good job pulling some talent, but we're going to recruit this state hard and heavy... We want to be dominant in the state of North Carolina."

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Tucker Sennett
TUCKER SENNETT

Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.

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