The Impact of Zamareya Jones Leaving NC State
In this story:
RALEIGH — NC State's sophomore point guard is gone, as Zamareya Jones announced her intention to enter the transfer portal when it opens in April. The productive backcourt player took major steps in his second season with the Wolfpack, but ultimately chose to pursue other opportunities after two years with the program. It is not an insignificant loss for NC State by any means.
The impact of her exit will be felt all across the roster, as Jones became one of the two primary ball-handlers for the team in the 2025-26 season, taking some of the pressure off junior guard Zoe Brooks. The departure changes the roster construction outlook for the Wolfpack, creating new avenues for Wes Moore to explore in the transfer portal as he builds for the coming year.
Spotlight on retention
The trio of Jones, Brooks and junior forward Khamil Pierre accounted for over 60% of NC State's per game scoring output, which ended at 77.2 points. One piece of that puzzle is gone now, forcing the Wolfpack staff into action to make sure enough of the production from last season is still in the building by the time the 2026-27 campaign gets underway.
Brooks feels like the most important target in the retention battle. She entered the 2025-26 season as the program's most experienced and battle-tested player, having contributed as a freshman during NC State's run to the 2024 Final Four. Brooks missed the second round loss in the NCAA Tournament after suffering an injury in the first round against Tennessee. It feels like there might be some unfinished business for the talented guard and now the backcourt is hers to run.
Improving size?
While Brooks and Jones were a dynamic backcourt on both ends of the floor, there were some issues Moore had to work around all season. The primary problem was that both players were on the shorter side, with Brooks listed at 5-foot-10 and Jones at 5-foot-7. While the duo was solid defensively, there were moments where larger teams overpowered NC State.
With Jones out of the picture, Moore could place an even larger emphasis on his frontcourt size and place a larger guard alongside Brooks with a defense-first mindset, improving the team's effort on that end while lightening the load for a returned Brooks. Four-star wing Kamora Pruitt will also be in the fold after committing to the Wolfpack in November, adding a new element of 3-point shooting with size that NC State lacked before.
BREAKING: Top 2026 recruit Kamora Pruitt has committed to NC State, she announced.
— Talia Goodman (@TaliaGoodmanWBB) October 12, 2025
READ: https://t.co/Pl3NNZrlfi pic.twitter.com/2xBTCL6Bwv
Once again, retention is a major part of this equation. While Jones' exit opens up an opportunity to improve the positional size of the roster, it also adds more urgency for Moore and his staff to keep players like Pierre and sophomore forward Tilda Trygger on the roster for the coming season. Those two, plus the 6-foot-2 Pruitt, would give NC State a high-powered frontcourt.
Anything can happen in this era of college basketball and two members of the team are already out the door just days after the season came to an end in Ann Arbor. Only time will tell how many members of the Wolfpack stick around for another grind through the ACC.
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.
Follow SennettTucker