Why Justin Gainey's New Backcourt is Ready for ACC Basketball at NC State

RALEIGH — The first NC State roster under first-year coach Justin Gainey continues to come together as the transfer portal season moves along. So far, the Wolfpack has made two critical additions to its backcourt, preparing for the challenges of the 2026-27 season with guard play before any other aspect of the roster.

The Pack earned commitments from Santa Clara combo guard Christian Hammond and Hofstra point guard Preston Edmead. That pair marked the foundational pieces of the Gainey era in Raleigh, at least for the first season or two. However, some concerns emerged about taking two mid-major players in such key positions. Both Edmead and Hammond are ready for the jump, though.

Proving you belong

Much was made of the way former NC State coach Will Wade put his only roster together for the 2025-26 season. First, there was elation as the Wolfpack started adding players who proved themselves at high-major programs in the NCAA Tournament, with the group headlined by Texas Tech transfer Darrion Williams. There was an emphasis on crunch-time statistics in conference play as well.

Then came the confidence. Wade believed his roster was stronger than many outsiders thought, all of whom believed the Wolfpack could be special. As it turned out, the pieces of the puzzle were never aligned and the team was flawed, both from a basketball standpoint and a character standpoint. Despite all the high-major players, the best transfer turned out to be Quadir Copeland, who came over from McNeese State with Wade, possessing an insatiable desire to prove himself against ACC competition after leaving Syracuse. He did.

Mar 20, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Hofstra Pride guard Preston Edmead (1) dribbles against Alabama Crimson Tide forward Taylor Bol Bowen (7) in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Gainey wants to build NC State on a primary guiding principle that is much different than what Wade wanted to do: toughness. While neither Hammond nor Edmead fit the mold of defense-first, both proved their toughness in other ways. As a freshman and undersized guard, Edmead became one of the best offensive players in the CAA, finding space to create shots for both himself and his teammates.

In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Hofstra faced the Alabama Crimson Tide. Edmead stood up to the larger SEC defenders and scored 24 points. In four matchups against high-major competition, Edmead scored 15 points per game. Gainey was an undersized guard as a player himself, with a drive to prove to everyone he played against that size isn't everything. He'll try to instill that within Edmead as well.

Hammond could have stayed in Santa Clara and thrived in a WCC that the Broncos could be poised to take over after Gonzaga's exit and Randy Bennett's move from St. Mary's to Arizona State. Instead, he wants to prove himself against ACC competition, potentially vaulting himself into contention for NBA draft status. Gainey provided him with that opportunity, as Hammond will be a big part of the Pack.

In three games against the aforementioned Gonzaga Bulldogs, Hammond improved his performance in each matchup. First, he scored 14 points, then 16 and finally 24 in the WCC Tournament title game. In bouts with Arizona State and Minnesota, two more Power Conference foes, Hammond reached 20 points in each.

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

Gainey is getting two players hungry for a chance to prove they were overlooked during the recruiting process. The idea of building your program around mid-majors isn't a perfect science, as some programs struggled with that strategy during the 2025-26 season. However, a team that proved to be the thorn in the Wolfpack's side last year came together similarly to the way the Wolfpack is building: the Virginia Cavaliers.

If Edmead and Hammond are as good as their numbers at the mid-major level, NC State could be the next team to emerge in the ACC, just as Virginia did under Ryan Odom.

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