NC State Could Target Gainey’s Former Tennessee Players in Portal

RALEIGH — With the transfer portal open on April 7, hundreds of college basketball players are looking for new homes following the 2025-26 season. NC State recently hired Justin Gainey to be the new head coach after he finished an Elite Eight run as Tennessee's associate head coach under Rick Barnes. Now, he's trying to build his first roster at his alma mater in Raleigh.

In the transfer portal era, many players elect to follow members of their coaching staff to different schools depending on the relationship with the assistant or head coach on the move. Gainey was heavily involved in recruiting at Tennessee, meaning his relationships run deep. With two key Volunteers announcing their intention to transfer, a reunion with the Wolfpack could be coming.

J.P. Estrella

After three seasons with the Volunteers, forward J.P. Estrella announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Monday, just a day before it opens. In the 2025-26 season, Estrella averaged 10 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting 59.6% from the field. Estrella missed nearly all of his second season with an injury, earning a redshirt tag.

The Wolfpack needs a complete makeover of its frontcourt and Estrella would be intimately familiar with some of Gainey's language and scheme. The forward wasn't a traditional rim protector, but showed some improvement on the defensive end throughout his third year with the Volunteers.

Bishop Boswell

Sophomore guard Bishop Boswell is also planning on entering the transfer portal, per a Monday report from On3. The guard has many more connections to the area, having played his high school basketball at Myers Park High School in Charlotte. He spent two seasons with the Vols, but took on a much larger role in his sophomore year.

In 33 starts across 34 appearances, Boswell averaged 6.2 points and shot 38.5% from beyond the 3-point line. The upward trajectory of the guard's play could be appealing to Gainey, who worked closely with the backcourt at Tennessee. Boswell could fill a role as a point guard or ball-dominant guard capable of shooting from deep as well.

Pairing Boswell with Paul McNeil, if he decides to stay, would give the Wolfpack an explosive backcourt with serious ability to stretch the floor. Bringing in a guard familiar with what Gainey wants to do would offer the new NC State coach a bridge player, or translator, similar to what Quadir Copeland offered Will Wade in his only season with the Wolfpack.

Whether Boswell has an interest in reuniting with his former assistant coach remains to be seen, but it would make sense for NC State to pursue him after his strong performance down the stretch and in the NCAA Tournament. Boswell was a very impressive defender as well, making him a logical target for the type of basketball Gainey hopes to play in Raleigh.