Former player Justin Gainey, who has spent five seasons as an assistant with Tennessee, is expected to return to NC State as the Wolfpack’s next head basketball coach, sources confirmed to ESPN on Monday amid multiple reports.
Gainey, 49, played for NC State from 1996 to 2000 and later began his foray into coaching as an administrative coordinator at the school from 2006 to 2008. He will replace Will Wade, who left the Wolfpack last week to return to LSU.
He has served on the staff of Vols coach Rick Barnes since April 2021 and was named associate head coach after the 2021-22 season. Gainey also has served as an assistant at Elon, Appalachian State, Santa Clara, Arizona and Marquette.
NC State got off to an 18-6 start (and 9-2 in the ACC) before losing six of its final seven games to end the regular season. The Wolfpack were ultimately placed in the First Four on Selection Sunday and lost to Texas, finishing the season with a 20-14 mark.
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