Breaking Down NC State’s Roster After the Commitment of Shah Hall

NC State picked up a commitment from JUCO All-American Honorable Mention center Shah Hall on Friday. With the addition of Hall, the Wolfpack now has just two spots remaining on its 2026-27 men’s basketball roster.

NC State’s biggest need was adding a backup center to provide depth at all five positions on the court, and that need has been addressed with the addition of Hall.

At this point, NC State heads into next season with depth at all five positions.

At point guard, the Wolfpack will likely have Hofstra transfer Preston Edmead, who earned CAA Rookie of the Year honors last season, as well as Second Team All-CAA honors. Edmead averaged 16.1 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 39% from three, showing he can both create and knock down shots at a high level.

Edmead will be backed up by Appalachian State transfer Jacari Brim and true freshman four-star prospect Kingston Whitty. While it would be preferable to have a more experienced and proven player backing up Edmead, Brim and Whitty are both quality developmental pieces. Like many positions on the roster, players will have the ability to slide over and play multiple spots. Santa Clara transfer Christian Hammond and Maryland transfer Darius Adams could both take turns spelling Edmead at the point if necessary.

At the 2, Hammond seems to be the most likely candidate to start. Last season, he earned First Team All-WCC honors as a redshirt sophomore under former Wolfpack head coach Herb Sendek, averaging 15.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Hammond shot 48.4% from the field and 39.3% from three. The shooting guard position might feature the best competition on the roster, with Maryland transfer Darius Adams likely to push Hammond. Even though Adams didn’t post the numbers Hammond did as a freshman with the Terrapins last season, the former McDonald’s All-American will enter Year 2 on a mission to prove the high school hype was warranted. The Wolfpack also picked up a commitment from New Hampshire transfer Comeh Emuobor, who returns home to Raleigh after averaging 9.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game with the Wildcats last season.

Simply by opting to take his name out of the Transfer Portal and return to Raleigh, Paul McNeil Jr. has risen to NC State legend status. McNeil Jr. averaged 13.8 points per game while shooting an ACC-best 42.7% from three-point range. P2’s 105 made three-pointers tied DJ Horne’s single-season school record. At 6-foot-5, McNeil Jr. also has the ability to slide over to the 2. Boise State transfer RJ Keene will likely back up McNeil Jr. at the 3, and while his numbers aren’t tantalizing, he brings a wealth of college experience, with 88 games under his belt. Keene is the ultimate glue guy, cited by Evan Miya last year as the “best college basketball player that doesn’t score.” Adams and Emuobor also possess the size to play at the 3.

At the 4, Washington State transfer Eemeli Yalaho seemed to be the most likely candidate to start at power forward when he committed, averaging 10.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last season while shooting 39.8% from beyond the arc. The addition of international prospect Robert Jurkovic may have created a legitimate position battle at the 4. The Slovenian stands two inches taller than Yalaho, according to Basketball Reference, and also possesses the ability to shoot efficiently from deep, connecting on 41.9% of his three-point attempts last year for Ilirija in the ABA. The battle at the 4 might be even more competitive than the one at the 2. The Wolfpack also has the luxury of redshirt freshman Zymicah Wilkins working his tail off to prove he belongs on the court. The 6-foot-9 former four-star prospect out of Christ School lost 30 pounds this offseason in an effort to make an impact in Year 1 under Justin Gainey.

UC Irvine transfer Kyle Evans (6’10”) will almost certainly start at the 5 for the Wolfpack after leading the nation in blocked shots last season. The addition of JUCO All-American Honorable Mention Shah Hall gives NC State a backup center who averaged more than two blocks per game last season and stands one inch taller than Evans.

NC State now has two spots remaining on its 2026-27 roster and likely won’t be in a rush to fill them unless it decides to pick up the phone and call players from Michigan’s roster, who are reeling from the departure of Dusty May to the NBA.

Wouldn’t you?

NC State’s Current 2026-27 Men’s Basketball Roster