NC State basketball dipping its toes in the transfer market
NC State's 2020-21 basketball season may or may not be over depending on whether or not the Wolfpack is willing to accept a bid to the NIT, but the Pack is already putting its name out there in the transfer market.
Considering the NCAA's ruling that this season won't count toward a winter athlete's four years of eligibility limit, the transfer portal is expected to be as active as ever this summer.
Here's a few names to know that NC State has reached out to already:
Auburn transfer guard Justin Powell (freshman)
Powell only played in 10 contests for Auburn this season due to injuries before the freshman decided to transfer.
The 6-6, 205-pounder averaged 11.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game for the Tigers. He was also a strong shooter. Powell shot 44.2 percent from three and 76.5 percent from the foul line in his freshman campaign in the SEC.
Powell is the most sought-after transfer on this list. Along with NC State, Gonzaga, Kentucky, Baylor, Virginia, UConn and Louisville, among several others, have reached out with interest according to Jake Weingarten of StockRisers.com.
The Citadel guard Kaiden Rice (senior)
Rice started in 51 of his 55 appearances for The Citadel over the last two seasons.
The 6-7, 205-pounder averaged 17.6 points per game and scored in double figures in all 25 contests he played for the Bulldogs in 2020-21.
He also averaged 4.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game during his senior campaign.
Like Powell, Rice has also proven to be an effective shooter. Over four seasons, he's shot 34.5 percent from beyond the arc and 78.8 from the charity stripe.
NC State, USC, Arizona and Butler have all reached out to the native of Columbia, S.C., according to 336 Edits.
Florida International guard Antonio Daye (junior)
Daye's roots to the Triangle are intriguing as a transfer prospect.
A native of Durham, N.C., Daye averaged 17.1 points, 4.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game for the Panthers during his junior campaign.
The 6-3, 188-pounder shot 35.1 percent from three during his sophomore campaign, but that's more of an outlier than an average for him. Over his three-year career at FIU, Daye has shot 28.2 percent from the perimeter and 67.3 percent from the foul line.
Daye has heard from NC State, Arkansas, Pittsburgh, Missouri, Clemson and East Carolina, among others, according to Tipton Edits.
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