Tracking Where Former NC State Players Transfer
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RALEIGH — NC State men's basketball experienced sweeping changes in the early stages of the 2026 offseason. After making proclamations of sweeping changes to his staff and roster after a disappointing 20-win season, coach Will Wade bolted and returned to LSU, the program that fired him several years ago. Now, the Wolfpack is rebuilding under first-year coach Justin Gainey.
Even before Wade left, the general expectation around the program was that there would be a fairly sizable exodus of players, but that a few key pieces would stick around. The first part turned out to be true, as the majority of the roster hit the transfer portal quickly after Gainey arrived, but Zymicah Wilkins appears to be the lone player not entering the portal. Where are some of the former Wolfpack players taking their talents?
Who entered the transfer portal?
Nine different players from the 2025-26 roster entered the transfer portal from NC State over the last three weeks. Tre Holloman doesn't have remaining eligibility, but entered the portal on the off-chance the new eligibility rules apply to players who just finished their senior seasons. The following nine players could've returned to the program under Gainey, but opted for the portal:
Name | Position/Grade | Entry Date |
|---|---|---|
Cole Cloer | Forward (Freshman) | 4/3/26 |
Matt Able | Guard (Freshman) | 4/6/26 |
Colt Langdon | Forward (Redshirt freshman) | 4/7/26 |
Jayme Kontuniemi | Guard (Freshman) | 4/7/26 |
Paul McNeil | Guard (Sophomore) | 4/8/26 |
Terrance Arceneaux | Guard (Redshirt junior) | 4/8/26 |
Alyn Breed | Guard (Redshirt senior) | 4/9/26 |
Jerry Deng | Forward (Junior) | 4/14/26 |
Musa Sagnia | Forward (Freshman) | 4/16/26 |
Of the portal entries, most did not leave things open for a potential return, although one key player did: Paul McNeil. Gainey and his staff continue to pursue McNeil aggressively while also filling out the rest of the roster.
Where the Wolfpack's transfers are landing
Cole Cloer, one of the only high school recruits from the Wade era, also became the first domino to fall for Gainey and his staff, entering the transfer portal first. The North Carolina native left things open for a potential return, but numerous reports indicated there was some financial separation between NC State and Cloer's camp. He ultimately committed to Alabama out of the portal.
In his lone season with the Wolfpack, former Houston transfer Terrance Arceneaux never found his way. A nagging Achilles injury and some general inconsistency at the beginning of the season saw him pushed lower in the depth chart than he hoped, which created some friction. Even if Wade stayed, Arceneaux was almost certainly on the way out. The former five-star recruit landed at George Washington, taking his talents to the A-10 for one final season.
NEWS: NC State transfer Jerry Deng has committed to Memphis, he told @LeagueRDY.
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) April 17, 2026
The 6-foot-9 forward from Rochester, New York played just one season at NC State. Has also spent time at Florida State and Hampton.
He averaged 6.1PPG and 2.1RPG in 8 games this season. pic.twitter.com/as3mQGHGvO
Former NC State forward Jerry Deng, who played in just eight games for the Wolfpack before pursuing a redshirt, has already landed on his feet as well. The former four-star recruit brought his talents to Penny Hardaway's program at Memphis.
Matt Able, a dynamic four-star recruit who played one season for the Wolfpack, made an unprecedented move, transferring from NC State to UNC. He'll join former NBA Champion and first-year coach Michael Malone as the Tar Heels remodel their program after the Hubert Davis era.
This story will be updated further.
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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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