How Many NC State Players Have Gone on to Play in the NBA Playoffs?

The 2026 NBA Playoffs tip off this afternoon, making it a perfect time to look back at how former NC State players have fared on basketball’s biggest stage.

In total, 24 former Wolfpack players have appeared in the NBA Playoffs.

NC State Players Ranked by NBA Playoff Games

1) Nate McMillan – 98
2) Thurl Bailey – 69
3) Vinny Del Negro – 54
4) Josh Powell – 46
5) Caleb Martin – 45
6) Chucky Brown – 41
7) Spud Webb – 39
8) Kenny Carr – 35
9) David Thompson – 27
10) Omer Yurtseven – 17
11) Chuck Nevitt – 16
12) Tommy Burleson – 15
13) T.J. Warren – 13
14) Tom Gugliotta – 12
15) J.J. Hickson – 11
15) Leo Katkaveck – 11
17) Todd Fuller – 10
18) John Richter – 8
19) Chris Washburn – 6
20) Lorenzo Charles – 4
20) Lorenzo Brown – 4
22) Dick Dickey –  3
23) Sean Green – 1
23) Monty Towe – 1

NC State does not have any former players currently competing in the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

At the moment, Caleb Martin is the only former Wolfpack player active in the NBA, but his team, the Dallas Mavericks, did not qualify for the postseason. While Martin transferred to Nevada after his first two seasons in Raleigh, he’s included here for consistency.

While there are no former players on the court this postseason, NC State still has representation on the sidelines.

Sidney Lowe, a member of NC State’s 1983 national championship team and former head coach of the Wolfpack, is currently in his second season as assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons (3rd stint), who enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons open their playoff run tomorrow night at home against the Orlando Magic at 6:30 PM on NBC.

Meanwhile, Nate McMillan is in his second season as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers, who are the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. The Lakers tip off their playoff run tonight in Houston at 8:30 PM on ABC.

If you don’t have an NBA team to pull for, the Pistons and Lakers both feature familiar Wolfpack ties on the bench this postseason.