Sharpshooting 2027 NBA Draft Prospect Will Return to NC State

Paul McNeil Jr., one of the NCAA's best perimeter shooters, will return to NC State for a third season.

Jan 27, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Paul McNeil Jr. (2) shoots a three pointer during the first half of the game against the Syracuse Orange at Lenovo Center. | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

The NC State Wolfpack have had an eventful offseason.

After one season at the helm in Raleigh, head coach Will Wade left NC State to take over as the head coach at LSU. The Wolfpack reached the NCAA Tournament under Wade's tutaledge in 2025-26, but were forced to rebuild the roster and find a new head coach.

NC State hired former Tennessee assistant Justin Gainey, who played for the Wolfpack from 1996-2000 when Herb Sendek was the team's head coach. Sendek, now at Santa Clara, has coached NBA players like Jalen Williams and Brandin Podziemski.

Gainey was tasked with putting together a new roster after Wolfpack standouts Darrion Williams and Ven-Allen Lubin finished their college careers, and talented freshman Matt Able transferred to North Carolina while also declaring for the NBA Draft.

On May 2, the NBA G League announced that Williams was one of 44 players invited to the 2026 G League Combine, which takes place May 8-10 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.

The team added a few talented players from the transfer portal, including Santa Clara's Christain Hammond, Maryland's Darius Adams and UC Irvine's Kyle Evans. On May 1, Gainey's team got another boost, as sharpshooter Paul McNeil Jr. announced his return to NC State.

🏡 pic.twitter.com/ekPCvaFN80

— P2⚡️ (@PaulMcneilJr) May 2, 2026

McNeil previously entered his name into the transfer portal, but withdrew and will return to Raleigh for his third season with the Wolfpack.

The former four-star recruit enjoyed a breakout sophomore season, averaging 13.8 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 43.3% from the field and 42.7% from 3-point range on more than seven attempts per game. As a freshman, McNeil averaged 4.2 points per game.

McNeil's best performance of the 2025-26 campaign came in December, when the 6-foot-5, 190-pound wing tallied 47 points, 10 rebounds, a steal and zero turnovers in a win against Southern. The NC State star knocked down 11 triples in that contest, and shot 12-of-12 from the free throw line.

McNeil connected on at least five 3-pointers seven times during his sophomore season, including in the ACC Tournament against Virginia.

If the sharpshooter has a strong junior campaign, he could earn a spot in the first-round of the 2027 NBA Draft. With good size and elite perimeter shooting ability, teams could covet McNeil's skill set, especially in a 2027 class that is believed to be less talented than previous cycles.

Alongside the Wolfpack's new additions, McNeil should be able to get plenty of open looks, which could catapult him into the lottery if he can round out the other areas of his game.