WATCH: Aaron Torres Breaks Down the Job Will Wade has Done at NC State, & the Possibility of Adding PJ Haggerty (TRANSCRIPT)

Fox Sports radio host Aaron Torres gave a lengthy breakdown of the job Will Wade has done as NC State’s Head Coach this offseason, and the possibilities of the Wolfpack landing Memphis All-American Transfer Guard PJ Haggerty. You can read the transcript below, and watch the bit underneath, starting at around the 33-minute mark.

“If PJ Haggerty lands at NC State, I believe they are right around a Top-25 team going into next year, and I believe they are right behind Louisville and Duke as the best teams in the ACC, assuming they do land PJ Haggerty. I guess there has been a little bit of talk this offseason, where some people were expecting more out of Will Wade. I think NC State fans, early on, were kind of wondering, ‘where’s the big boom, the big commitment that’s going to rock the internet?’ It hasn’t really happened yet. Doesn’t mean it’s not going to. They haven’t had that boom yet, but I don’t think because they haven’t had that commitment that makes waves across college basketball, doesn’t mean they don’t have a very good team.

First of all, I really like some of the pieces they’ve added. Tre Holloman, guard out of Michigan St. He’s a guy that kind of fell through the cracks, when they had a 4th year starter in Jaden Aiken and Jase Richardson, the son of Jason Richardson. Because you have the son of a program legend and a 4-year Senior starter at Point Guard, it’s easy for other guys to get lost in the shuffle. Tre Holloman’s a very good player. Just under 10 points per game. About 3.5 assists per game. I’ll tell you what, he’s tough as nails as well. I don’t know if you remember, but on Senior Day at Michigan St., some of the Seniors were being welcomed off the court…Michigan St. was about to win. They’re hugging Tom Izzo…they’re hugging they’re teammates. There were about 10-15 seconds left, and there were a couple of Michigan players standing on the logo. Tre Holloman didn’t take kindly to that, and basically picked a fight. He’s the kind of guy you want in your corner. I was at one of his first ever college games. He and Michigan St. were playing one of those aircraft carrier games in the Fall of 2022. It was Michigan St. vs. Gonzaga, and this kid came in with a ton of energy. I love him.

None of these guys are crazy standout guys, but I think all the pieces fit, if you add PJ Haggerty.

Terrance Arceneaux was a part of Houston’s national title runner-up. He was a kid that was a former highly rated recruit. I think a lot of people thought he could be a 1-and-done. He gets hurt his Sophomore year. A little bit of slow start. I’ll tell you this. I know the NC State people love him. When you get him at full strength, I do think it completely changes the dynamics of that team, and who he is as a player. 6’8″. Most people thought he could be a 1-and-done, but certainly a 2-and-done, but he gets hurt his Sophomore year. He was good at Houston this past year, not great. I do think he is one of those guys that a fresh start might just be right for him. Three years at Houston…it doesn’t really work out…whatever.

The other one that certainly caught people’s attention over the course of the weekend was Paul Mbiya. Originally from Africa, played overseas. This guy is projected as a 2nd round pick, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Played in France over the past couple of seasons. There are mock drafts where he’s a 2nd round pick this year.

You have a starting point guard in Tre Holloman. You’ve got a wing in Terrance Arceneaux. You’ve got Paul Mbiya at Center.

I will say, you do need that dude. I will say, Alyn Breed and Quadir Copeland, both followed Will Wade from McNeese St., that were both really good there, but you do need that star.

Like I said. If you get PJ Haggerty, it’s game on, because PJ Haggerty to me, is that guy that fills that void of a 18-19 points per game guy. The guy that can get you a bucket when you need it. I actually like how he fits with those other pieces.

I know what everyone is going to say. Tre Holloman is a point guard. What does that mean for PJ Haggerty? Most teams run more than one guard on the ball at any given time, in any given game. Yes, there is technically a guy that walks the ball up the floor, but we all watch basketball. You put the ball in a guys hands, and he goes and makes plays, and he’s not necessarily the point guard, but he has the ball in his hands. So I don’t really worry about the fit with Tre Holloman.

NC State fans. Don’t worry about Will Wade. Since he got to LSU, outside of his first season, when there was no transfer portal, when everyone that transferred had to sit out one year, every single year that Will Wade has coached since then, he has had a team that could win its conference in any given season. In Year 1 at LSU, when he didn’t even have a great team, he still signed Tremont Waters, a 5-Star McDonald’s All-American.

Don’t worry about Will Wade. He’s going to be fine, but certainly, PJ Haggerty cherry on the top of the ice cream sundae. He is going to the NBA Draft Combine. I don’t think he’s an NBA player, at least after this last year, with all due respect. There are a lot of 6’2″, 6’3″ guys that can get to the rim in the NBA, and I don’t know that he has NBA size, but he’s one of those guys that can be a great college point guard, even if he isn’t a great NBA prospect right now. I think when it’s all said and done, he ends up at NC State, and game on at that point.

I think NC State would be in my Top-25 at that point, and would be right behind Louisville and Duke in the ACC.”