Quiet Weekend Ends With Former Five-Star Visit to NC State

RALEIGH — First-year coach Justin Gainey continues to work diligently to build out his first NC State men's basketball roster after taking over the program at the beginning of April. The transfer portal produced five new players over the first three weeks of the month as the new leader of the Wolfpack completely rebuilds the program in a new direction after the messy exit of former coach Will Wade.

NC State earned a commitment from former Boise State guard RJ Keene back on Friday, marking the fifth transfer portal addition of the offseason. After a spree of surprise commits last week, including Keene, the Wolfpack went quiet Saturday until news of a new visitor spread around Raleigh. Maryland guard and former five-star recruit Darius Adams visited the program Sunday, according to multiple reports.

What does this visit mean?

Mar 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Maryland Terrapins guard Darius Adams (1) shoots against Oregon Ducks guard Wei Lin (23) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Adams is an interesting transfer prospect for NC State to be considering. Gainey pursued the former McDonald's All-American as a high schooler before he committed to Maryland and played his first season with the Terrapins. Things didn't go nearly as well as Adams hoped at Maryland, though, as the team finished the 2025-26 season with just 12 wins.

The consensus five-star averaged 10.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in his first collegiate season. The shooting stats were also somewhat alarming, as Adams shot 35.4% from the field and 24.8% from 3-point range. He arrived at Maryland with a reputation as a strong shooter from distance, but obviously struggled to adjust to the jump in competition and lack of help around him.

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

Gainey is believed to be settled on transfer additions Preston Edmead and Christian Hammond as the starting backcourt for next season, but Adams being in Raleigh indicates that the Wolfpack is not done shopping for guards quite yet. There's a ceiling on the former Maryland guard that might be higher than the two players Gainey already added, so that's something NC State is likely considering.

There's also the Paul McNeil part of the equation. The former Wolfpack guard remains in the transfer portal with complete silence regarding his interest in other programs, making it a fluid situation for the NC State staff as it tries to bring back the sharpshooter as a focal point for the offense next season. If McNeil were to walk, bringing in a high-ceiling player like Adams might be a sharp decision, banking on his development in the ACC rather than the Big 10.

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