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As we discussed a few days ago, Mark Gottfried was doing all he could to add a backup PG. Yesterday all of that work paid off.

NC State got a huge commitment from Markell Johnson, a 6’1, 170lb PG from Cleveland. Johnson will quickly slot in behind Dennis Smith Jr and likely take the reigns of Smith ends up being a 1 and done as many have predicted.

Johnson was actually a 2017 prospect, but he’s a few summer classes away from being 2016 eligible. While that may not seem like a big deal to some, it’s a huge deal if you understand the immediate needs of this years Wolfpack team.

Make no mistake. These recent moves have signified that NC State is going for it this season. Smith might be here only one year, Yurtseven might just be here one year, Terry Henderson will graduate and Abu might head to the pros as well. This means Gottfried’s job is twofold. Win now, and build a contender for reloading in 2017. Johnson being in the 2016 class makes this all possible.

For now Johnson would be a talented backup who would be allowed to learn the ropes of the college game behind Smith, and then step in as a starter when Smith heads to the NBA. Johnson needs the year of tutelage. He’s younger than most 2016 recruits, and while he’s athletic, quick and elusive, he has some polishing up to do before he’s capable of being an elite guard at the ACC level.

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AnthonyScott1
AnthonyScott1
7 years ago

Wolfer96 wolfpack74

wormncsu
wormncsu
7 years ago

You are forgetting the Newman kid as well.

Wolfer96
Wolfer96
7 years ago

wolfpack74 Wolfer96 Do a search of this kid. He is already built like a man and has a 20 foot wingspan. Between Kapita and Anya they could do hands across Raleigh between the 2 of them. He is from the Congo and it seems lately there is a lot of news about kids from Africa lying about their age. He could be 25 for all we know.

Wolfer96
Wolfer96
7 years ago

wolfpack74 Wolfer96 Multiple sources on Twitter.

wolfpack74
wolfpack74
7 years ago

Wolfer96 That’s great.  Where did you get the news?

Wolfer96
Wolfer96
7 years ago

Wolfpack just added another. Ted Kapita! 6’10” 245lbs.  Nice addition to our front court. Alright coaches that is enough for this season. Focus on 2017-18. Wow this means that after the mass exodus following this season we will still have a group to build around. 2017-2018: Gone: Dennis (PG) – NBA Abu (PF) – NBA Yurt7 (C)- NBA Hendo (SG) – Grad Anya (C) – Grad Still here (assuming no xfers): Johnson (PG) Dorn (SG) Rowan (SG) Kirk (SF) Hicks (PF) Kapita (PF/C) Freeman (PF)? That’s at least 6 players remaining for 2017-2018. Would need to add depth at PG,… Read more »

Wolfer96
Wolfer96
7 years ago

wolfpack74 I have that much confidence in Dennis Smith. The Wolfpack has never had a PG like this kid. This will be the best PG we’ve had since Corch Sr. Dennis will lead this team to a great season in spite of Gott’s horrible coaching. All of this is assuming that Dennis can stay healthy. Even if Yurt7 doesn’t qualify I still expect a really good season. Although I still think we could add 1 more to help inside. PF or C.

wolfpack74
wolfpack74
7 years ago

Let’s not get the cart before the horse.  How about that for good colloquial saying in North Carolina.  First, the big kid hasn’t been cleared, and second, Johnson hasn’t qualified for this year. Do we know if they can play together, not yet.  Individually they look great but we will have to wait and see if they can mess.  But if they do, then I take back all the bad things I have said about Gott.  Last year was something to never think about again.  Looks like early signing is a thing of the past.  Just have to get use… Read more »

Wolfer96
Wolfer96
7 years ago

I mean I get that more kids are waiting till the very end of the recruiting cycle to see who goes pro, which new recruits they may have to compete with for minutes, etc. Still surprising the number and quality of recruits that the Wolfpack has hauled in this late in the game. What I’m curious about is… how much of this great recruiting can be attributed to the new coaching hires and how much of it was DSJ? How many of these kids came for a visit and got to run the court with DSJ and thought… man I… Read more »

Basketball Recruiting

NC State Offers 4-Star 2026 SF Cole Cloer

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NC State offered 4-Star Small Forward Cole Cloer (6’6″175) earlier this week.

247Sports ranks Cloer as the #24 overall player nationally in the 2026 recruiting class, the #10 Small Forward and the #1 player in the state of North Carolina. Cloer plays for Orange High School, which is right down the road, in Hillsborough, North Carolina.

Cloer also holds offers from Wake Forest, Mississippi St, App St, High Point and Iowa.

Last season, Cloer averaged 20.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game for Orange.

 

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Basketball Recruiting

NC State Men’s Basketball Recruiting Update (9/21/23)

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There’s been quite a bit going on in the world of NC State Men’s Basketball recruiting. Below I’ll summarize quite a bit of it.

4-Star Power Forward Kendre Harrison (6’7″/230) out of Reidsville High School (Reidsville, NC) took in the NC State vs. VMI game on Saturday, and walked away with an offer from the NC State Men’s Basketball coaching staff. Harrison already received an offer from the NC State Football coaching staff back in January.

ESPN ranks Harrison as the #20 overall basketball player nationally in the 2026 recruiting class, the #5 Power Forward and the #1 player in the state of North Carolina. Harrison already holds offers from Wake Forest, FSU and Texas A&M. Harrison is the #5 overall football player nationally in the 2026 class according to 247Sports, and the #1 player in the state of North Carolina. Harrison is a unicorn. He projects to be a 5-star prospect in 2 sports.

Did I mention that Harrison is the nephew of former NC State basketball player C.C. Harrison?

On September 12, NC State offered 4-Star 2025 Point Guard Jordan Lowery (6’1″/175) out of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He already holds offers from TCU, SMU, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, St. Louis, Wichita St, ECU and Virginia Tech. Rivals ranks Lowery as the #110 overall player nationally, and ON3 ranks him as the #9 player in the state of North Carolina. Lowery took an unofficial visit to NC State earlier in the month.

Last week, the coaches were in to visit 4-Star 2025 Small Forward AJ White (6’8″/180) out of Charlotte, North Carolina. Rivals ranks White as the #28 overall player nationally in 2025, and he is the consensus #1 player in the state. White holds offers from NC State, South Carolina, Cincy, Texas, Syracuse, Georgia, Texas A&M, Wake Forest, Mississippi St., LSU, FSU, Illinois, Virginia Tech, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgetown, Ohio St. and others.

 

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While the coaching staff was in to see Lowery, they were also checking out 2024 Center Chol Machot (7’0″). ON3 ranks Machot as a 3-star prospect, and the #14 player in the state of North Carolina.

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Basketball Recruiting

4-Star PF David Punch Takes Official Visit to NC State

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2024 4-Star Power Forward David Punch (6’7″/190) is on an Official Visit to NC State this weekend.

 

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Back on August 24, Punch included NC State in his Top-7, which also included Penn St., TCU, UVA, Virginia Tech, TCU, and Xavier. Punch took an Official Visit to Penn State last weekend, and has Official Visits scheduled for the rest of his Top-7, except for VCU.

Apparently Punch has an insane 45-inch vertical.

ON3 ranks Punch as the #97 overall player nationally in the 2024 recruiting class, and 247Sports ranks him as the #5 player in the state of Texas (Dynamic Prep/Harker Heights)

 

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Basketball Recruiting

4-Star PF David Punch Sets Official Visit to NC State…Wolfpack Makes Final 7

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4-Star 2024 Power Forward David Punch (6’8″/215) announced his Final 7 schools yesterday, and NC State made the cut along with Penn State, TCU, Virginia, Virginia Tech, VCU and Xavier.

Punch has scheduled Official Visits to all but VCU in the very near future. He will be taking his Official Visit to NC State on September 15th.

ON3 ranks Punch as the #97 overall player nationally in the 2024 recruiting class, the #17 Power Forward and the #8 player in the state of Texas.

NC State offered Punch back on July 21st.

Check out his highlights below.

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