When Greg Gantt announced Wednesday that he was transferring to NC State, it represented a first step in what the 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward hopes will be a fresh, new beginning.

Like every newcomer, when the Fayetteville, N.C., native arrived at Providence in the summer of 2019, he had his dreams and expectations, but tragically life there was not what Gantt envisioned.

During his freshman year, Gantt lost his mother, Tawana Baldwin, after a lengthy illness. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, which robbed Gantt and every other college basketball player of a normal season in 2020-21.

While appreciative of Providence head coach Ed Cooley and Friars assistant Jeff Battle, Gantt, by his own admission, nervously decided to enter the transfer portal in March.

“Coach Cooley and Coach Battle mean a lot to me, and helped through a really tough time with my mom’s passing,” Gantt said. “And I am really appreciate them for that.

“But from a basketball standpoint, I wasn’t sure if coaches were going to judge me from my role at Providence or the player they saw in high school? I was unsure of the options that would come my way, but a lot of people reached out.

“It felt good to know that coaches still believed in me and wanted me. It was a lot of schools that reached out, way too many to name.”