'I'm building a program not just a team': NC State head coach Justin Gainey at ACC Meetings

Added: 2026-05-14

[00:00:00]All right, Justin, you just come out of these meetings. You're the new guy, right?

[00:00:05]>> Yeah.

[00:00:05]>> So, what's it like walking around? Are you sizing people up behind your eyes?

[00:00:09]Are they sizing you up because you're going to be competing against these guys here in a few months?

[00:00:13]>> No, I I mean I I don't think so. You know, it's it's uh the meetings were great. It very informative. Um I I felt like all the coaches were welcoming. Um and it was it was uh you know, it was a few of us new guys that were um you know, first time in those meetings. So, but it it was good. It were productive.

[00:00:30]I thought um you know, there was a lot of good ideas brought to the table and and um you know, all the other all the coaches were were really receptive.

[00:00:39]>> Your program's coming together here.

[00:00:40]You're you're building your roster.

[00:00:42]You're building your staff. What are you most proud of that you've accomplished here in the first couple months? Um I I I think we did a really good job of um finding our kind of guys, you know, and when we uh set to put this roster together. Um you know, I was very intentional of I want to build a program. I I don't want to just build a team. Build a team every I want to build a program and and so you know, starting out was character, right? Wanted of guys of high character, guys that uh wanted to be at NC State that respected the the program, respected the brand, right? So high character young men means wanted to find guys that that come from winning situations to understand what winning is all about, right? And and understand like it's just not showing up on the day of the game and man, I hope we win, but all the work that goes into it that starts in the summertime, right? Cuz winning it feels different. It sounds different. It it it it sounds different, you know? It's and and so um that was that was you for me. So, I'm I'm proud of like what we've been able to put together and we're still continuing to build um and and fill out that roster.

[00:01:45]And so, just um you know, being uh diligent on all parts of the recruiting from the intel, from the evaluations, just being really intentional, making sure we get the right the right guys.

[00:01:59]>> Obviously, the biggest name is getting Paul McNeel back. What was that process like? uh you know, were there times where you thought you might not get him back and and how did that how do you see him fitting into what you're trying to do in year one? excited to have Paul back um you know he he was a guy that u for me you know he was a must get back like I I had to have him back um for not just the basketball piece but you know and in my first in my press conference I was uh I talked about you know the importance of keeping the best players home right keeping the in the North Carolina kids instate and you know that was my first that was my first um kind of uh test, right? And and um so, you know, I understood his where he was coming from, right? Wanting to go through the process. I respected that and um you know, we I just recruited him like I would anybody else and and um pointing out why um staying home made a lot of sense. And um and and at the end of the day, he was our guy, right? He's a NC State guy. and um and and so he was a must get back and we're excited to have him back. And as far as you know, fitting into what we do um you know the the the one of the few skills that translates regardless of where you are is shooting, right? So I don't care what kind of offense [laughter] you running.

[00:03:23]I don't care whatever you're doing, shooting translates. The ball going in the hole translate and so he does it as good as anybody in the country. And so just excited uh to to get to work with him. And it looks like in attacking some of these transfers, you mentioned character, but you also looked for shooting. A lot of these guys that you brought in shot in the high 30s, maybe even low 40s for some of them.

[00:03:44]>> Yeah. No, it it was it's it's a group that um you know, when when you look at them across the board, um you know, 40% three-point shooters and we'll have the ability to put four of them out there at times. So, that that that's exciting from a a spacing standpoint. Um, and and you know, when you have guys like that, it makes offense a little easier to to run.

[00:04:06]>> You've been known for your recruiting, you've been known for your defense.

[00:04:10]>> What is it about both those traits that have become your calling cards and how >> um, you know, I think in both of those, um, you you have to, um, show a a level of toughness, you have to show a level of resilience, and just, you know, show up every single day. And that's to my core, that's who I am. That's what I am. You know, when I think about back when I played, you know, I wasn't the tallest guy. I wasn't the fastest.

[00:04:38]Wasn't the the quickest, but and again, I I had to be tough. I had to show up every single day and and and and get the work done. And so, when you look at recruiting and when you look at the defensive end, that's that's that's what it's all about.

[00:04:51]>> You talked to Bu Corgan when the job was open last year before they obviously hired Will Wade. What do you think made you more prepared to be a head coach this year? And if you didn't get the NC State job, if it didn't come open, do you think you were prepared to be a head coach at another school?

[00:05:04]>> Yeah, I I mean, I felt like I've I've been prepared um I've been preparing for this moment my entire coaching career.

[00:05:10]Uh I I feel like, you know, I'd say the last whatever three years. I feel like I' I've been prepared, right? Because so many changes have been happening and and um in in college sports with um you know, the NIL and and the portal and all those things. and um I'd become become even more involved in in in in in that uh as well as still recruiting, right?

[00:05:34]And so within that, you're learning how to run a program essentially. And so I and and then I would also say just like through my process of the different interviews that I I'd been on, I I started looking at things different, right? I started looking at um uh you know, whether it's questions that coach Barnes would ask me or or different situations like I started looking at them. how would I respond to that if I was a head coach, right? And so going through those processes kind of changed my entire mindset to help me start preparing for this moment when, you know, April 1st happens and the press conference is over and now all right is the real work begins. You got to meet with your your players, you got to put a staff together, you got to start preparing for the transfer portal. And so u those thoughts had prepared me for that moment. And when that moment hit, I felt like I was I was ready to go and ready to hit the ground running. You don't strike me as somebody that's going to make any excuses. You know, you talk about your time as a player and your toughness and now you're talking about how you're putting together this roster, but meanwhile, your predecessor, Will, Wade, just laughed in part because he said that there's more resources at LSU.

[00:06:39]There might be better alignment at LSU.

[00:06:41]You know, why do you feel like there's enough here at NC State to win at a high level and maybe coach before you didn't think so?

[00:06:49]>> Um, yeah. Yeah, I mean I I won't speak on the the u the previous what I'll say is um me being from High Point, North Carolina. Um I've always held NC State in the highest regard. Like I I was a huge fan of NC State growing up. Um I understood what Tobacco Road was all about. Going to play at NC State, um you you you learn it even more. It becomes ingrained in you. And um like look, NC State's one of the best jobs in the country, right? It's it's one of the best resourced jobs in the c country, but more importantly, it has some of the best people in the country. And and that's what makes a place special, you know? Like when I came back and I saw so many familiar faces still there. Again, that speaks volume of like what NC State is all about. you know, when when you come back and see him and um and you know, Buu and uh has has done a great job under his leadership is you've seen this program just continue to to to grow the entire athletics program continue to grow and and um you know Kevin how Chancellor How I'm sorry um you know under his leadership again the university just keep expanding, keep growing and so um it's a special place.

[00:08:04]It it's a special place and it's it always has been in in my eyes. And so they'll say what beauty is in the hands of a beholder. Sure. Like this it's an amazing place and and I think that um you know if you if you asked the NC State fan base and and people in the ACC understand the history and tradition, the Norm Salones, the David Thompson, the uh Derek Wittenberg, Sydney Low. Um yeah, I mean you you can go on the Tommy Burlson, you can go on and on um of the history and tradition here, you know, the coach KL, Jimmy V. Um it's just endless. And so this is an amazing amazing place and I'm I'm fortunate to to to be um the head coach here.

[00:08:46]>> I I know Wolfpack fans want to get to the NCAA tournament and get there consistently. the NCAA tournament expanding to 76. How does that impact the way you put together schedule, the way you put together a team, what your postseason goals are?

[00:08:58]>> Yeah, it it impacts everything, right?

[00:09:00]It it it does. And um you know, and these meetings have been great because you're meeting with um the Joe Lonardis and those folks that talk about the importance of scheduling and how to go about it. And so, um, with the tournament expanding, uh, you know, it's it's an exciting time in in college basketball and, you know, it has an impact on everything you do.

[00:09:24]>> Well, we appreciate your time, Justin.

[00:09:25]Looking forward to covering your team here at at NC State the next couple years. We'll let you get back to it because I'm sure you got a bunch of phone calls, more recruits to kind of call and get that staff together.

[00:09:35]>> Absolutely. Thank you. I appreciate.

[00:09:37]Next couple years now, it's going to be a lot longer than >> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Awesome.

[00:09:41]>> I appreciate you. They can coach. Yeah.