Inside Ven-Allen Lubin’s winding college basketball journey to NC State, via UNC
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- His four‑school path ended in Raleigh, providing stability and increased role.
- Ven-Allen Lubin anchors N.C. State with efficiency, toughness and reliability.
- Coaches cite Lubin’s leadership, reliability and clutch play as vital.
The N.C. State men’s basketball roster is a lot like Noah’s Ark: It has two of nearly every style of player and versatility among its skill sets, providing depth at multiple positions and the ability to shift lineups with ease.
Except at one position.
Will Wade all but called Ven-Allen Lubin irreplaceable for the Wolfpack — he’s the Ark’s unicorn.
“He’s been rock solid for us, and, quite frankly, he’s one of our most valuable guys,” Wade said in October at ACC Tipoff. “We’ve got two point guards, we got two shooting guards, we got two wings, we got two four-men. We can move guys around. … We can make up for a lot of stuff in some of them other spots, but [we’ve got] only one of him on the boat.”
Lubin, in his final college season, has for the most part lived up to expectations. He’s not always the most athletic or the flashiest player, but he’s been one of the most consistent. He lets his work speak for itself, and he’s put together the best season of his career.
The 6-8 forward is averaging a career-best 13.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, while ranking third in the nation, and No. 1 among Power Four shooters, for field goal percentage (68.45%).
It’s not just because of his basketball IQ or talent, either. Wade said Lubin possesses intangible qualities far more developed than many around him.
“He’s the unsung hero of our team,” Wade said last month. “He’s an absolute warrior. Does everything we ask him to do. He’s unbelievably prepared. Just a great person and role model. He’s phenomenal.”
Finding a landing spot
Lubin’s path to N.C. State has been long, and he’s set to face two of his former schools in the coming weeks. The Pack hosts UNC at Lenovo Center on Tuesday, and then N.C. State heads to South Bend to face Notre Dame at the end of the month, bringing his career full circle.
“Even though he went from Carolina to State, he may be the one of the few personalities to get away with it, because he’s such a great dude,” former Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey told the News & Observer. “Carolina fans have got to say, like, ‘You know what? I’m cheering for him. What the hell? He’s such a good dude. I can’t hate on him.’”
Lubin’s journey has been well-documented — four schools in four years.
He’s received flak, at best, and vitriol, at worst, for what some deem to be disloyalty or an inability to commit.
But Lubin left the Irish after Brey left Notre Dame, and Vanderbilt fired Jerry Stackhouse after Lubin’s sophomore year.
“He really loved Notre Dame, and he loved the school, so that was a tough one,” Brey said. “I remember talking to Jerry Stackhouse when he visited [Vanderbilt]. Obviously, the academic piece, I think, was important in that move, too. And darn if it didn’t happen to him again.”
Brey was pleased to see Lubin land at UNC, knowing the program’s history, its ability to use bigs and the school’s academic standing. He was shocked to find out Lubin reentered the portal last spring.
The Tar Heels prioritized adding size and length during the offseason. With 6-10 forward and high school All-American Caleb Wilson joining the team at power forward, UNC also signed 7-foot center Henri Veesaar from Arizona on April 4. Lubin was looking at a reduced role in the frontcourt if he opted for a second season in Chapel Hill. He entered the portal on April 21, the day before it closed, saying he intended to return.
“When I saw him on the market yet one more time, I’m like, ‘My gosh, this kid deserves more stability than he got,’” Brey said.
Lubin found that in Raleigh, after years of stress and uncertainty.
He’s held a consistent role in the frontcourt and Wade has worked to create more confidence, polish and increase his potential.
“I just appreciate them for giving me the opportunity to play for the program and be on the roster among the other guys,” Lubin said. “That’s something that I value.”
‘I felt like he was my son’
Brey remembers sitting down with Lubin at the end of the 2022-23 season and telling the forward he was retiring. Brey led the Irish to 18 postseason tournaments, including 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and a pair of Elite Eights, but the Irish only made the NCAA Tournament field once in the last five seasons under Brey’s leadership. He decided it was time to move on.
That left his players, including Lubin, in a jam that set off a wild trajectory for the young player.
That was a tough conversation.
Lubin finished with 6.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 23 blocks in 28 games played and earned 2023 All-Academic ACC honors at Notre Dame. He not only had a bright future as a player, Brey said, but the two were close.
They’d often get breakfast before Lubin went to class. They’d talk about life, basketball, academics and Lubin’s experience being the son of Haitian immigrants. They even discussed the possibility of doing a basketball camp in Haiti one day, noting the university’s work with the Haiti Catholic Church.
“I felt like he was my son,” Brey said. “We’d stop at McDonald’s, get him breakfast, then I’d drop him at class and I’d see him at practice.”
During those moments, Brey, now an assistant with the Atlanta Hawks, saw Lubin’s potential. He was a natural fit at Notre Dame. It just didn’t work out like they’d hoped.
“I love the kid, love the family,” Brey said “I still feel I owe him for kind of leaving after his freshman year.”
‘They call him Ven-Allen Wade’
Quadir Copeland stood on the court at SMU with under a minute to go, urging his coach to review an out-of-bounds call. The Wolfpack led the Mustangs, 84-83. Wade wasn’t confident, and assistant general manager Patrick Stacy told him not to do it.
Wade went ahead with the challenge and treated it as a timeout.
“Of course, he was wrong, typical,” Wade said during his radio show a week ago, a teasing tone in his voice.
When asked who the staff would believe if they requested a challenge, the answer was quick and easy: Lubin. He is, far and away, the most trusted member of the roster.
“They call him Ven-Allen Wade, because I love him so much,” the head coach said. “That’s what the team calls him. He’s everything you want.”
That’s not new, Brey said. He described Lubin in a number of complimentary terms: respectful, coachable, rock solid and team-oriented. He’s always been mature for his age.
Matt Able said Lubin was one of the reasons N.C. State was able to make a run down the stretch on Saturday against Miami. The senior made clutch layups in crunch time and made up for an error with a key defensive rebound. That was in addition to his 6-for-6 start, and four blocks.
“Ven, is that dude. He does a lot of things for us down there, and we’re super grateful for him. He’s just a ‘dawg,’” Able said. “Anything you ask him to do, he’s gonna go ahead and do. We get to have him and his positivity — because that’s something he brings us — as well. He’s a level head. He always is going and saying the right things. He is a great teammate to have.”
Lubin has reached double figure scoring in 10 consecutive games and 21 on the season. N.C. State is 9-3 when he makes 70% or more of his field goal attempts. The team is 1-2 against Power Four opponents when he is held under 60% from the field, and he’s been held under 50% shooting just once this season.
For the first time in his career, Lubin’s stat line features more assists than turnovers — all while playing nearly 30 minutes per game. The Wolfpack has needed to rely on him, and Musa Sagnia, due to a lack of depth on the interior.
“Lubin has been our most reliable and dependable guy all year. He’s been incredible for us,” Wade said. “He kind of gets lost in the shuffle, and I don’t think he’s appreciated nearly enough in terms of everything he does for our team.
“Ven’s answered every challenge. He hardly missed anything for us. He’s been absolutely phenomenal for us. Proud and pleased of everything he’s done for our team.”
‘What an older player should look like’
Brey wasn’t sure if transferring from Carolina to N.C. State would be the best decision for his former player, considering the rivalry. Dontrez Styles did it last year, but he had a stop at Georgetown between the two schools. Lubin, meanwhile, made a direct switch.
It’s worked out, though. The Tar Heels got the guys they wanted, and the Wolfpack filled a major hole on its roster. Both teams are competing for a spot in the NCAA Tournament, and Lubin could be a major factor in N.C. State’s ability to grab a bid.
“It’ll be nice to see my guy, Ven,” UNC guard Seth Trimble said Saturday. “I hate to see him in that red jersey, but he’s had an incredible year.”
He’s stayed true to himself, too. Lubin remains the hard-working, soft-spoken, family-oriented and dedicated player Brey recruited years ago.
It’s taken him a few stops to get where he needs to be. There aren’t many players who could walk his journey and become better for it, but he did.
That’s why he’s regarded so highly and considered 1 of 1 — the unicorn on Noah’s Ark.
“It’s really what an older player should look like,” Brey said. “The final product is a beautiful thing. … I’m really happy. He deserves it.”
This story was originally published February 16, 2026 at 5:45 AM.
