Looking to round out their 2025-26 basketball roster with another seasoned transfer, NC State and head coach Will Wade appear to be in pole position to land veteran forward Ven-Allen Lubin.
This past weekend, 247Sports national recruiting insider Travis Branham — a leading authority in transfer predictions — submitted the second Crystal Ball forecast in favor of the Wolfpack, signaling growing confidence that Lubin will land in Raleigh.
Lubin, a 21-year-old forward, brings a wealth of experience as a three-time transfer. He started 20 games for North Carolina last season after a full-time starting role at Vanderbilt in 2023-24 and a partial starting role as a freshman at Notre Dame. Despite initially announcing plans to return to UNC for his final season, Lubin entered the transfer portal on April 21 — setting the stage for a potential move to Tobacco Road’s rival program.
Should 6-foot-8, 230-pound Florida native Ven-Allen Lubin commit to NC State — a decision that appears increasingly imminent, especially given Travis Branham’s tendency to lock in late predictions when a recruitment nears its end — he would become the second former Tar Heel to join the Wolfpack in as many years.
Last season, Dontrez Styles made a similar move. After two years in a limited role at UNC, he broke out as a starter at Georgetown before transferring to NC State, where he became the team’s second-leading scorer in 2024-25, averaging 11.4 points per game under then-head coach Kevin Keatts.
Will Wade’s inaugural Wolfpack roster currently features just one returning scholarship player, rising sophomore guard Paul McNeil. It’s bolstered by seven transfers — including standout Texas Tech forward Darrion Williams — and a highly rated four-man recruiting class led by five-star shooting guard Matt Able.
Lubin could be the final piece to Wade’s puzzle, adding a much-needed mix of experience, physicality, and ACC familiarity. He averaged 8.7 points and 5.5 rebounds in just under 20 minutes per game for Hubert Davis’ Tar Heels last season, shooting a highly efficient 68.4% from the field and 71.1% from the free-throw line — though he went 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.
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