One day after popping up in Jon Rothstein’s ROTHSTEIN 45, albeit at No. 45, the first NC State basketball collection under Will Wade’s command made a somewhat surprising debut appearance at No. 25 in On3 national analyst Jamie Shaw’s projected top 25 released on Tuesday morning.
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The Wolfpack stacks up at No. 4 among ACC teams in Shaw’s eyes, checking in only two notches below its archrival in No. 23 UNC. The top two from the conference are No. 8 Louisville and No. 11 Duke.
NEW: Way-Too-Early College Basketball Top 25 per @JamieShaw5🏀
Do you agree? 🤔https://t.co/fTsvfHzvYf pic.twitter.com/Svome2K85R
— On3 (@On3sports) May 6, 2025
As things stand, the 2025-26 NC State basketball roster consists of three incoming freshmen who comprise the No. 35-ranked 2025 recruiting haul on 247Sports, a six-deep transfer haul ranking No. 36 in the country, and just one returning scholarship player from the 2024-25 Wolfpack in rising sophomore guard and former four-star prep Paul McNeil.
Given the sudden top 25 projection for Wade & Co.’s debut in Raleigh, it’s worth noting the program hasn’t begun a season in the AP Top 25 Poll since appearing at No. 6 ahead of Mark Gottfried’s second campaign at the helm in 2012-13.
Stay tuned to NC State Wolfpack On SI for more NC State basketball news.
