NC State Standing Out to Top 2027 Combo Guard
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Although NC State head coach Will Wade and his staff’s priority is the 2025-2026 college basketball season, they have also been highly active on the high school recruiting trail in recent weeks.
As the 2026 recruiting cycle winds down, Wade and company are shifting their focus to the 2027 cycle. The Wolfpack have already made progress with several talented prospects in the class, including the No. 1 combo guard in the country.
Wolfpack Making Progress with Elite 2027 Guard
Throughout his recruiting process, NC State has been targeting King Gibson, a four-star combo guard from Burlington, North Carolina, who plays for SPIRE Academy in Ohio. The Wolfpack extended an offer to him in June 2025 and has been actively pursuing him since.
Gibson is among the nation’s top prospects, with Rivals’ industry rankings listing him as the No. 11 overall player in the 2027 class, the No. 1 combo guard, and the No. 1 prospect from Ohio. Although he’s currently listed as a four-star recruit, he’ll likely become a consensus five-star as the class continues to be evaluated.
Several elite programs are pursuing Gibson, with the 6’4” guard holding offers from Alabama, Missouri, Michigan, and more. Still, he recently told Rivals’ Jamie Shaw that NC State is among the schools standing out in his recruitment.
Gibson explained that he has a strong relationship with the NC State coaching staff and noted that Wade has been transparent with him throughout his process. He added that he likes how the Wolfpack’s guards play and that he would be able to play his own game within the offense.
- “My relationship with them is great,” Gibson told Shaw. “Coach Will [Wade], he is a great coach. We kind of got that connection. He’s very transparent with me, and I really like that. Their guards get after it; they like to get downhill, and I like that. I would be able to come in, have the ball, and play my own game.”
The four-star guard went on to explain that, being from North Carolina, he’s been able to visit the NC State campus several times and knows plenty of people at the school. He also highlighted the Wolfpack’s basketball facility and gym.
- “The campus is great,” Gibson told Shaw. “It’s a big campus, and I’m from North Carolina, so when I went there, I got to see a lot of people I already kind of knew growing up who go to NC State. They got a big campus and a great gym, you know great facilities overall.”
Rivals’ Recruiting Prediction Machine currently gives NC State the best chance to win Gibson’s recruitment, at 47.3%. While a lot can change in the coming months, it appears that Wade and his staff have built an early lead with the SPIRE Academy star.
Although the Wolfpack will face competition from several programs for Gibson, it’s clear they have established themselves as firm contenders to land the top combo guard prospect in the 2027 class.
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Max Dorsey serves as the Western United States College Recruiting Beat Writer On SI. He graduated from the prestigious Syracuse University – S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Before that, he worked for the Pro Football Network and was part of the recruiting department for Syracuse University's football program.