It’s hard to believe that NC State made that miraculous run all the way to the Final Four just fifteen months ago. What should have been the crowning moment for Kevin Keatts and his Wolfpack became just a flash in the pan, as a disappointing season would follow and lead to Keatts’ dismissal. His overall progress with NC State was just dissatisfactory outside of one March run, with basketball in Raleigh now running under a new leader.

The coaching career of Will Wade has been on a nearly constant upwards trajectory. In his earliest days he was an aide at Clemson and Harvard before helping VCU to that unforgettable Final Four run as one of their assistants. As a head coach, he’s brought success to four different D1 programs, building success at Chattanooga and VCU before an eventful run down at LSU.

Wade’s time in Baton Rouge didn’t end on the greatest terms and the Tigers are still paying for Wade’s recruiting violations. However, times change and Wade quickly bounced back at McNeese State, taking those Cowboys to a pair of NCAA Tournaments including a first-round upset just a few months ago. A name atop nearly every offseason head coaching wish list, Wade opted for the Wolfpack and the ACC.

Even though the conference mightily struggled last season, Wade knows that ACC basketball is no picnic. Him and his new staff quickly busied themselves in the transfer portal and have built quite the intriguing roster for his first season. The portal and NIL allows these kinds of rebuilds to happen much quicker and it’s hard to find a first-year head coach who’s hit gold more than Wade to this point.

Former Texas Tech forward Darrion Williams is the highlight and should serve a massive role for the Wolfpack next season. The frontcourt is completely rebuilt, which Terrence Arceneaux coming in from Houston alongside former North Carolina forward Ven-Allen Lubin. The Wolfpack also nabbed some intriguing guards, namely Michigan State point guard Tre Holloman and two former starters from McNeese in Alyn Breed and Quadir Copeland.

Pair these new additions with a few 4-star recruits and NC State might have a roster that can compete near the top of the ACC. Last year we saw Pat Kelsey and Louisville compete from the jump, albeit in an atrocious season for the conference. The expectation is that this new-look NC State squad can do the same and it’s not just the talent on the court. Wade has shown us his ability to quickly build a program and the expectation is that you’ll see the Wolfpack playing important basketball again in the coming years.