Players Intending to Transfer Who Could Fit at NC State

RALEIGH — As the 2025-26 season winds down with the National Championship game, all but two programs around the country turned the page to the 2026-27 campaign's first steps: the opening of the transfer portal. Hundreds of players have already announced their intention to transfer before the portal actually opens for business, with programs preparing to rebuild with new additions.

Justin Gainey is just settling in as the new head coach for NC State, but the roster construction phase of his arrival is about to get going in a hurry. His background as an elite recruiter during his time with Tennessee, Arizona, Santa Clara and Marquette should help him over the next three weeks as he works to bring in new players for the Pack. What are a few names that might interest NC State?

The following players have already announced their intention to transfer.

Chol Machot - College of Charleston

Charleston 7 Foot Sophomore Chol Machot has been one of the most intriguing players in mid major basketball this season

Through his first three games he’s averaging 13/7/1 along with 2 BPG in only 21 MPG, he’s also shooting 60% from the field.

Machot moves extremely well for… pic.twitter.com/JfK5kSlgQA
— KJ (@KJScouting) November 10, 2025

The expectation is that Gainey and NC State will look to avoid one of the main shortcomings of the ill-fated Will Wade era: a lack of size. At Tennessee, Rick Barnes always tasked Gainey with building strong defenses predicated on size, rim protection and physicality. That makes a 7-foot forward like Chol Machot very intriguing for NC State.

In his first season at the Division I level, Machot finished averaging 8.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. He blocked 79 total shots during the season while playing just 19.8 minutes on average. Gainey and his staff would be depending on upside more than anything else, but the tape is still impressive.

Christian Hammond - Santa Clara

NC State is going to need a point guard. Gainey played his college ball for Herb Sendek, the veteran coach of Santa Clara, who spent several years leading the Wolfpack. Sendek expressed his excitement for Gainey in getting the NC State job and the pair maintains a close relationship. If Hammond is ready for a Power Four role, Sendek could point him to Raleigh.

Hammond averaged 15.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 34 games as a sophomore with the Broncos. He shot 39.3% from 3-point range and excelled defensively as well, which would make him a nice fit for what Gainey hopes to do in Raleigh.

Cade Phillips - Tennessee

Gainey could easily bring along one of his players from Tennessee, filling a need in the frontcourt with 6-foot-9 Cade Phillips. The forward announced his intention to transfer after three seasons of being a rotation piece for the Volunteers, likely in search of a larger role. Gainey knows Phillips' value better than any other coach in the country, not named Rick Barnes.

The junior averaged 3.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in just 10 games during the 2025-26 in just 10 games as he recovered from a shoulder injury.

Luke Wilson - Appalachian State

❤️🤞🏽 pic.twitter.com/5k0GgTKr7K
— Luke Wilson (@Bucketluke2023) March 31, 2026

Adding a 6-foot-9 center with a productive background wouldn't hurt Gainey as he puts together his first roster at NC State. Luke Wilson fits that mold after a solid season with the Mountaineers in his sophomore year. The big man averaged 10.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game over the course of 32 games.

The Georgia native already goes to school in North Carolina, so there wouldn't be a massive move in the cards if he decided to make the move to NC State. Only time will tell if that's the case.