What NC State Fans Should Expect From RJ Keene
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RALEIGH — Justin Gainey inherited a roster in complete and total flux when he accepted the head coaching position for NC State men's basketball at the beginning of April. Still, the first-time coach wanted to ensure his alma mater remains competitive right at the start of his tenure, attacking the transfer portal in the ensuing weeks to rebuild the team.
Former Boise State guard RJ Keene became the fifth member of the 2026 transfer class for Wolfpack basketball and the third guard to come aboard Gainey's project in Raleigh. NC State is going to get a fierce competitor and self-proclaimed "glue guy" for the 2026-27 roster, filling a need for a defensive-minded, low-usage wing player who can come off the bench and be effective in spurts.
The Wolfpack's glue guy
Go pack🐺 #committed #glueguy pic.twitter.com/rWmdd4ZDMn
— RJ Keene (@rjkeeneii) April 24, 2026
In his commitment announcement on X (formerly known as Twitter), Keene called himself a glue guy, a moniker he embraced during his time at Boise State over the last five years. His career started with a redshirt and a season lost to injury, but Keene started to come into his own over the last two years, doing a little bit of everything on the defensive end while still maintaining value.
As a 6-foot-7 guard, Keene is a pesty defensive option for Gainey to deploy with the Wolfpack, likely coming off the bench. In the 2024-25 season, the guard ranked second in the Mountain West as a defender, according to Evan Miyakawa. Keene displayed a willingness to take on tough assignments for the Broncos, often bringing a physical edge and toughness that bothered scoring options for the opposition.
RJ Keene with one of the biggest plays of the game, keeping his foot on the ground long enough to ask for the time out with 9 seconds left in overtime.
— B.J. Rains (@BJRains) February 4, 2026
Huge play from Keene in Boise State's 91-87 win over Nevada late Tuesday night. pic.twitter.com/CZS6g2Vym0
While the stats don't jump off the page, Keene makes an impact all over the court. The most intriguing part of his game for NC State fans might be his rebounding ability, especially after the major issues the program suffered in that statistical category under former coach Will Wade. Keene averaged 4.6 rebounds during the 2025-26 season and tallied five double-digit rebounding performances during the 2024-25 campaign.
Boise State faced its fair share of high-major competition during Keene's three seasons of significant playing time and the oversized guard held his own, even in a matchup against NC State during the Maui Invitational. That game ended up being Keene's season-high scoring output as well, as he tallied eight points against the struggling Wolfpack defense.
Where does Keene fit?
Gainey promised that toughness would be the building block for NC State's identity moving forward during his introductory press conference. Keene perfectly exemplifies what the new coach is looking for from his roster. As a low usage, defensive-minded player, the guard should be more than willing to come off the bench as the top defensive stopper for the second unit.
Keene was used in less than 12% of Boise State's offensive possessions last year, but was still widely viewed as one of the most important members of the Broncos over the last two seasons. Adding a player with his mindset for what is expected to be a fairly low cost compared to some of the other marquee additions being made during the transfer portal process should be viewed as a win for NC State.
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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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