The NC State Wolfpack looks poised to repeat what happened a couple of years ago when they made it to the Final Four. This comes after a strong transfer portal haul, and of course, the signing of their new head coach, one of the best in college basketball, Will Wade.
College basketball insider for CBS Sports and FanDuel, Jon Rothstein, recently shared a clip on X (formerly Twitter) in which he spoke about the Wolfpack and its future. The NC State is looking primed and ready to go, and Wade is confident that it will be one of the top teams in the ACC and even in March Madness.
Will Wade’s Supreme Confidence in NC State Likely Due To Schedule and Beyond
Wade will be entering his first season as the head coach of the NC State Wolfpack. After working wonders for the McNeese State Cowboys, the Tennessee-native would look to carry the momentum and work his magic with the Wolfpack. However, there is a big reason why the Wolfpack may be in a good spot next year: their schedule.
To start things off, NC State won’t be going to Duke or North Carolina. This is big in their own right for any team, let alone an interstate rivalry. Duke is coming off their magical March Madness run this year with freshman phenom, Cooper Flagg. On the other hand, North Carolina continues to be one of the sport’s premier programs. Playing in either team’s home arena could be disadvantageous, to say the least.
“The ACC, when it pivoted from 20 to 18 games, is going to have teams play each other only two times in conference play,” Rothstein says in a video posted on X. “There aren’t as many mirror opponents. If you’re NC State right now, these are the games you’re going to have at home in Raleigh: Duke & North Carolina. They don’t go to Durham and Chapel Hill.”
“The double-play opponents for NC State are Wake Forest and Virginia. That is something that is an advantageous situation for the Wolfpack entering next season. It’s only June, I’m not going to pick NC State to win the ACC, but I will say this, Darrion Williams, the transfer from Texas Tech, will firmly be in the mix to be the preseason ACC Player of the Year,” he added.
Will Wade is doing Will Wade things.
And it’s all making NC State nationally relevant. pic.twitter.com/ArFY6HU977
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) June 17, 2025
So, while it may be way too early to predict, NC State could steal the ACC next year. With a strong transfer portal window and a new head coach at the helm, the Wolfpack and their fans have a lot to be excited about.
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