Just a day after debuting at No. 45 in Jon Rothstein’s ROTHSTEIN 45, NC State made a surprising jump into the national spotlight, landing at No. 25 in On3 national analyst Jamie Shaw’s projected top 25, released Tuesday morning. This marks the program’s first appearance in a national ranking under new head coach Will Wade.
According to Shaw, the Wolfpack ranks fourth among ACC teams, trailing only No. 8 Louisville, No. 11 Duke, and archrival North Carolina, which sits at No. 23.
As of now, the 2025-26 NC State basketball roster features three incoming freshmen forming the nation’s No. 35 recruiting class, according to 247Sports, along with six transfers that make up the No. 36-ranked transfer class. The only returning scholarship player from last season is rising sophomore guard Paul McNeil, a former four-star recruit.
With Will Wade’s squad now earning an early Top 25 nod, it’s notable that NC State hasn’t opened a season ranked in the AP Top 25 since 2012-13, when it entered at No. 6 under Mark Gottfried.
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