TUESDAY PORTAL UPDATE: An update on yesterday’s visitors, what was with that Paul McNeil smoke, and Matt Able choosing the villain arc

Yesterday, we recapped the past week, where NC State landed their backcourt of PG Presont Edmead (Hofstra) and Christian Hammond (Santa Clara). We also updated you on a bunch of visitors who were either on campus or scheduled to be there.

Today, we’ll give you the info we have on how those visits went, talk a little about the Paul McNeil scuttlebug, and give you a Matt Able update.

6’10 C Kyle Evans (UC Irvine) is having a good visit
As of this post, I believe he’s still on campus. He came in yesterday morning, and all reports are that things have gone well. In fact, I believe the NC State views Evans as the perfect fit for what they’re looking for at the 5. He gives you elite rim protection, he’s active, he’s sneaky athletic and he can score it, although he doesn’t demand the basketball and isn’t a high usage guy at all. Oh, and when I say he’s giving you elite rim protection, I mean it. He led the nation in blocks, averaging 3.3 per game, while also posting 12.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest. He shot an efficient 62% from the field and was named Big West Defensive Player of the Year, while also earning First Team All-Big West honors. This is exactly the type of player NC State needed last year, and a guy who can cover up a lot of defensive mishaps.

I think it’ll be interesting to see how this roster ends up playing out. Gainey is obviously a defense-first guy. He served as the defensive coordinator for Rick Barnes at Tennessee (a team with elite defensive metrics). However, he brought in Anthony Goins, who is a high-octane offensive coordinator from UGA. He likes fast possessions, high-volume 3s, and constant attacking. Very few teams are able to put those two things together successfully, but it seems like Gainey is going to try. I think the reason NC State is targeting a guy like Evans so hard is that to get elite offense, you’ll need to have offensive-oriented guards. While both Hammond and Edmead play hard on defense, neither has the perfect frame for a high-end defender. Because of that, they’ll have some matchups where they’ll struggle with bigger, stronger guards. Those mismatches will let the ball handler get into the lane more, but if you have a 6’10 shot blocking machine in there, exploiting the guards won’t be as big an advantage. All of that said, I think NC State really wants to get an Evans commitment on the books before he leaves campus. He’s the exact profile they’re looking for.

NC State hosted Charlotte big man Anton Bonke over the weekend, but he left without a commitment.
He’s the 7’2 monster from Charlotte who has been going viral on Instagram and TikTok thanks to the highlight reel below. Bonke is coming off a productive season at Charlotte, where he averaged 10.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting an efficient 57.6% from the field. He would be a nice get, but I’ve heard he wants big money, and I don’t think he’s the exact profile NC State is looking for. He’s got a lot of offensive ceiling, and I think he’s interested in exploring that. He shot 38 3s last year at a 34% clip. I’m guessing he’s looking for a landing place where he can get a little more offensive usage and see what increased volume does to that 3-point game. Obviously, any 7-footer with the skill set of Bonke is going to help your team, but I think it’s more about price. NC State doesn’t really need to extend extra money to get a 3pt dimension to their center. They’d rather pay for an elite rim protector with great size and use the leftover cash to build out other pieces of the roster. Could there be a scenario where NC State decides they have enough cash to make this happen? Yes, for sure, but at this point, I think the target is more defense and viewing offense at the 5 as an added bonus, more than a necessity. We’ll see how it plays out, but I know NC State likes both of these guy and it’s going to be more about money here.

What was with all that Paul McNeil smoke yesterday? 
NC State has just landed Preston Edmead and Christian Hammond, both 39% 3point shooters. What if you could also add Paul McNeil, one of college basketball’s best shooters, to the wing? It would legitimately be the most lethal backcourt in the country from 3-point range. But where will Paul go? There have been rumors that he’s been contacted by UNC. There has been talks that he’s been courted by LSU and Kentucky and that his asking price is astronomical.

But if you know Paul McNeil then you know that loyalty is a big deal with him. In fact, when he stayed to play under Will Wade, he mentioned one of the reasons he stayed was fulfilling a commitment he made to NC State. That is going to have a pull on McNeil to return to Raleigh. But will it be enough?

Yesterday, a bunch of anonymous accounts started posting that McNeil was trending towards returning. That coincided with some national pundits saying they were hearing the same thing. So what’s the truth? We made a bunch of calls, and well, we’re going to let this one play out. Heck, who knows, maybe we’ll find something out today?

NC State also hosted Alabama transfer, Taylor Bol Bowen yesterday. He’s a versatile 6’10 forward. Bol Bowen began his college career in the ACC at Florida State before transferring to Alabama this past offseason. As a junior with the Tide, he averaged 6.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in 19 minutes per game, starting 11 of 30 games last season. It was his sophomore season at Florida State that originally made him an intriguing transfer prospect. That year, Bol Bowen started 28 of 29 games, averaging 8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game, flashing the length and defensive versatility. Bol Bowen’s visit has been going well. In fact, I believe he’s still on campus today. I know NC State would love to lock him up, and have a 6’10 4 who can rim protect, rebound, and can score it from inside or out (think a more fluid, less physical Mo Diarra).

Matt Able is headed to… UNC?
That’s the word, and man, Able has just embraced the villain role if this ends up happening. He’s betting big on himself with this move after doing a few NBA workouts and obviously realizing he’s not league-ready just yet.

In fact, I’m going to give my personal opinion here. Able is good. He’ll eventually be a plus defender, a good 3 point shooter, and a strong straight-line driver. But he has a ceiling because of his balance, footwork, and the upright nature to his game. He lacks wiggle, a plus handle, and has trouble absorbing contact and keeping his balance due to the fact that he likes to play upright. Would I take him back to NC State? Uh, yes. Because, despite all of that, he’s still a very valuable player. I just don’t think he’s irreplaceable, nor would I invest huge money for a wing with his skill set. I’d rather pay Paul McNeil Jr.