What Justin Gainey's First NC State Staff Needs Most

RALEIGH — It's a new era for NC State men's basketball, as new head coach Justin Gainey officially took over the program during his introductory press conference on Wednesday. The Wolfpack quickly embraced its former player-turned new coach, turning his introduction into more of a homecoming than anything else. However, there is already a lot of work to do for Gainey.

The first step in putting together the new-look NC State men's basketball team is to assemble a staff that can help Gainey delegate important coaching duties. While one spot is already filled by Riley Collins, a former staffer with Gainey at Tennessee over the last few seasons, a few more assistant spots need to be filled. What does Gainey need from the rest of his staff?

A strong figure for the offense

Tennessee associate head coach Justin Gainey points during a NCAA basketball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Tennessee State Tigers at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tenn., on Nov. 20, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gainey arrived in Raleigh with a strong reputation for recruiting and coaching defense. Over the last five seasons with the Volunteers and head coach Rick Barnes, Gainey flipped the identity of the program into an elite, defense-focused group each year. The expectation is that NC State will be built on defense and toughness, something Gainey values greatly, going back even to his own playing days.

That emphasis on defense means it's even more important for the Wolfpack's new head coach to hire someone to run things on the offensive end, potentially bringing a different approach on that end of the floor than the way the Volunteers played. There are plenty of options with offensive experience who might make sense, with some former head coaches already being floated in those conversations. And that leads to the other most important thing Gainey must have.

Adam Howard led the offensive side of things under Will Wade during the 2025-26 season at NC State. Howard decided not to follow Wade to LSU, instead taking over the head coaching position at Troy to get his first shot at that aspect of things. It seemed like the pair didn't totally align with their vision offensively at times, but still managed to get the most out of a few players. Gainey will need to be more unified with his offensive coordinator should he go that route.

Experienced voices

Tennessee associate basketball coach Justin Gainey tells players to sub in during an NCAA college basketball game against Gardner-Webb on Dec. 21, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Whether they are longtime assistants like him or former head coaches looking for a fresh start, Gainey needs to surround himself with at least one or two experienced voices on his staff. The lack of experience is far from an issue at this point, but it still will be important for Gainey to have some veteran leadership to lean on as he learns what it means to be a head coach for the first time.

There could be a major opportunity for NC State to get back at LSU with this particular hiring area. Former Tigers' head coach Matt McMahon is looking for a new gig after being removed so that the school could bring in Wade. McMahon had some high-powered offenses when he coached at Murray State, working closely with future NBA All-Star guard Ja Morant. He's just one of many options Gainey could choose from.