What NC State Fans Should Know About Darius Adams

RALEIGH — When he took the head coaching job for NC State men's basketball, Justin Gainey arrived with the expectation that he'd be rebuilding the roster from the ground up, through both the transfer portal and high school recruiting. So far, he's lived up to that expectation, working diligently to assemble a new group of Wolfpack players ready for the 2026-27 season.

The latest addition came Wednesday, as Gainey and Co. secured a commitment from former McDonald's All-American and Maryland freshman Darius Adams, making him the program's sixth transfer portal addition thus far. In Adams, NC State is banking on the high potential that went untapped in the Big 10 during his first collegiate season.

Banking on potential

Feb 15, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Maryland Terrapins guard Darius Adams (1) goes to the basket against Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Harun Zrno (13) during the first half at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

When he committed to Maryland, Adams was the fourth-highest rated recruit in that program's history. There was good reason for the hype. He burst onto the scene in his junior and senior seasons at La Lumiere School (Ind.), scoring 16.7 points in his 11 Nike EYBL Scholastic Showcase appearances. He proved himself against some of the top high school competition in the country, eventually earning the McDonald's All-American designation.

Things didn't click the way Adams hoped they would in College Park, however. Maryland had a coaching change and major roster turnover, which vaulted Adams from a potential contributor as a freshman to one of the top offensive options on the roster. It was clear early on that the youngster wasn't ready for that kind of spotlight, especially since his skill set worked better alongside other scorers.

At 6-foot-5, Adams has a build similar to last season's Wolfpack freshman project, four-star recruit Matt Able, who recently transferred down the road to the program's bitter rival, UNC. Both players possess impressive wingspans, high-level athleticism, smooth ball-handling ability and potential for more on the defensive end because of their length. They had similar output as freshmen, too, with Adams scoring 10.8 points per game while Able put forth 8.8 off the bench.

While it wasn't always perfect, Adams did find the ability to play the game at his own pace against lesser competition. That's a good sign for his development, so long as he shows he can do it when the Wolfpack takes on upper-level opponents in the early part of the season. That happened for Able as the season went on.

Shooting concerns are real

Fans will undoubtedly gravitate toward Adams' dismal shooting numbers from his first season. He finished the year with a 35.4% field goal percentage and shot a measly 24.8% from 3-point range. While those are concerning and for good reason, there are answers to why that happened. For starters, Adams played for a terrible basketball team that had no consistency offensively.

When watching Adams in games against Old Dominion (18 PTS, 3-6 3PT) and Alabama (20 PTS, 5-7 3PT), the catch-and-shoot ability popped. However, he wasn't able to make that happen consistently, sometimes because of the way games flowed, but other times because he forced the action as one of the primary options for the Terrapins. He'll need to prove he can turn things around as a shooter.

The Wolfpack has a solution though

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

Unlike the roster a year ago, every addition made by Gainey has been done with intention. Each player is a piece to the puzzle, all complementing each other in some way, shape, or form. Should Adams slot into the current starting lineup, he'd play alongside three players who all shot over 38% from 3-point range at their previous stops.

Adams showed flashes as a passer with Maryland, making the right reads at times. The problem was that he wasn't rewarded for many of those decisions. If Gainey hits on his other transfer acquisitions, that won't be an issue for Adams at NC State. There's more process for the Wolfpack this go-around in the portal. The former Terrapin is just another cog in the new machine.

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