NC State Hosts Talented A-10 Guard For On-Campus Visit
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RALEIGH — Since the men's basketball transfer portal opened on April 7, first-year coach Justin Gainey has been working non-stop to put together his first roster at NC State. The program alumnus made his return to the Wolfpack after the messy exit of former coach Will Wade, who spent just one season leading the Pack. So far, the backcourt is coming together fastest.
After adding two guards in Christian Hammond (Santa Clara) and Preston Edmead (Hofstra) out of the portal already, Gainey and his staff are hosting another potential backcourt piece for an on-campus visit that started on Monday. Former Dayton guard De'Shayne Montgomery is in Raleigh, per his Instagram story,
What to know about Montgomery
Montgomery is your classic microwave scorer, a trait that helped him earn Third-Team All-Atlantic-10 honors in his only season with the Flyers. In the 2025-26 season, he finished averaging 13.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists, all while shooting 49% from the field. When Montgomery is on, he's tough to stop, as he scored over 20 points on seven different occasions last season.
The guard has been a bit of a journeyman during the first three years of his collegiate career, attending three schools in as many years. Now, he's looking to make a return to the high-major level, having played for Georgia during the 2024-25 season. That's where the connection to the Wolfpack comes into play, as new assistant Anthony Goins was still with the Bulldogs when Montgomery was with the program.
There aren’t many better 3 and D prospects in this years NBA Draft than Dayton 6’5 Junior Wing De’Shayne Montgomery
— KJ (@KJScouting) December 28, 2025
Montgomery has been one of the biggest standouts in the A10 averaging 15/5/3 and 3 SPG on 56/43/80 splits.
Montgomery’s mix of athleticism, shooting, finishing,… pic.twitter.com/xI6WS64VI8
The more intriguing part of Montgomery's game, at least for what Gainey is looking for, is his work on the defensive end. He averaged 2.1 steals with Dayton and hovered over one steal per game in his years with Mount St. Mary's and Georgia. At 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, Montgomery has the frame of a high-major guard and certainly possesses the athleticism to be a valuable defender in the ACC.
The expectation is that Hammond and Edmead will handle the starting backcourt duties, with Edmead playing more of a lead guard role, but Montgomery certainly fits the mold Gainey likes for his guards, especially if he wants the Pack to be built on toughness. There are plenty of roster spots to fill at NC State following the mass exodus of talent in the transfer portal, so Montgomery could very well be a candidate for one of them if his visit goes well.
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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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