He’s BAAACK!!! Paul McNeil Jr. returning to NC State, ready to lead the Pack

In a major sigh of relief for Wolfpack Nation, NC State sophomore guard Paul McNeil Jr. has announced his return to Raleigh after briefly entering the transfer portal.

 

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What looked like a devastating blow just weeks ago has turned into a celebration of loyalty. Multiple reports initially confirmed McNeil would test the portal waters, sparking widespread concern across the program. He was one of the ACC’s most dangerous shooters, averaging 13.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per game while leading the league with a 42.7% three-point clip, the best mark by any NC State player since Scott Wood in 2012–13. He tied the program’s single-season record with 105 made threes (matching DJ Horne) and set a new single-game record with 11 threes against Texas Southern, also tying the ACC single-game mark.

Losing a player of that caliber would have been a massive setback for first-year head coach Justin Gainey, especially as almost the entire returning roster entered the portal this spring. Rumors swirled about big-money offers, including an unconfirmed report of roughly $5 million from Will Wade and LSU. Yet throughout the process, sources indicated McNeil remained wide open to staying in Raleigh, and ultimately, he chose exactly that.

For those who have followed McNeil’s journey, his decision to return feels like destiny.

The humble, hometown kid from Rockingham, NC, just an hour and a half from Raleigh, found the perfect fit with NC State. But it wasn’t always easy.

As a freshman under Kevin Keatts, McNeil played only eight minutes per game, creating some frustration for a fanbase who saw the elite-level potential. However, the underlying metrics were always there. When Keatts left, those metrics were quickly spotted. Then assitant GM Patrick Stacy immediately recognized it: McNeil posted the highest plus-minus on the roster (+4.1 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor), led the team in 3-point makes per 40 minutes, ranked top-two in scoring rate, steals, and offensive rebounds, and posted the lowest turnover rate. Stacy called retaining him “huge” for a staff that inherited a roster in transition, noting McNeil’s elite upside and remaining eligibility.

That belief was validated in spectacular fashion this past season. McNeil exploded into one of the ACC’s breakout performers, but his story began long before he ever wore the red and white.

Growing up quiet and shy, McNeil didn’t fully embrace his talent until his freshman year of high school. That’s when coach Donald Pettigrew locked him in the gym with a basketball, pushing him relentlessly to hone his craft. When the coach wasn’t there, the school janitor, Mr. Anthony, would open the doors so McNeil could keep shooting. He became a gym rat, obsessed with maximizing his potential.

Pettigrew described his former star as the ultimate team player: “He’s so unselfish. He could go for 40 a night, but he passes it off to his guys. He doesn’t make it all about him. He’s got a great heart… real coachable. Never talks back. He’s a team guy.”

McNeil’s high-school dominance reached legendary status on January 16, 2024, when he dropped 71 points against Lee County, breaking the NCHSAA single-game scoring record that had stood since 1950. It wasn’t a fluke; McNeil had researched the record and set out to shatter it. That same quiet confidence showed up in college: the game-winning three in an exhibition opener, the 47-point outburst that included those historic 11 threes, and the clutch shots that nearly engineered a comeback in the NCAA Tournament.

Despite offers from programs across the country, McNeil committed early to NC State, calling the chance to wear the jersey “everything he ever dreamed of.” Proximity to family, especially his mom, finally being able to attend games, was a driving factor, as was the school’s unique culture. “I knew I wanted to go to State,” he said. “It was close to home for my people to catch the games… the culture here was just amazing, so when the coaching change happened, I wanted to stay.”

In the NIL and transfer-portal era, loyalty like McNeil’s is rare. Coaches and teammates consistently describe him the same way: humble, hard-working, loyal, and local, the exact archetype Wolfpack fans adore.

Now, with McNeil back for his junior season, the future looks bright. The staff has never viewed him as merely a spot-up shooter; they see a future elite scoring wing. This year’s offense will be built around him, with increased volume and opportunities to attack off the dribble. He’ll need to add strength to absorb contact and continue improving defensively, but the foundation is undeniable.

If McNeil replicates this season’s production over his final two years and adds just a handful more threes, he could own the single-season three-point mark (already tied), the Wolfpack’s career three-point record (potentially surpassing Scott Wood’s 335).

No matter how you slice it, the return of Paul McNeil is massive. He immediately becomes an NC State icon. He bucks big money from the snake (Wade) that bit us. He becomes the face of the Wolfpack for the foreseeable future. But more importantly to the team, he puts a stake in the ground for new head coach Justin Gainey. It’s a statement that homegrown talent is going to play at NC State. With recent commits Preston Edmead (39% from 3) and Christian Hammond (39% from 3), McNeil (42% from 3) slots into what is very likely the most lethal shooting backcourt in the country.

Paul McNeil Jr. never chased the spotlight, but it has found him once again. Now the quiet kid from Rockingham is officially the leader of the Pack, and Wolfpack fans couldn’t be happier to welcome him back.