How Justin Gainey’s NC State intro threw subtle shade at predecessor Will Wade

N.C. State steadied a turbulent coaching transition by turning to a familiar name, hiring former Wolfpack guard Justin Gainey as its next men’s basketball coach this week. Gainey spoke to the media for the first time as N.C. State’s head coach at his introductory press conference in Raleigh on Wednesday.

Gainey, 49, returns to his alma mater after spending the past five seasons at Tennessee, including the last four as associate head coach under North Carolina native Rick Barnes. N.C. State announced Tuesday that Gainey signed a five-year contract to replace Will Wade, who left after one season to take the LSU job last week.

Wade appeared to be the subject of a few comments — although his name wasn’t directly mentioned for the duration of the roughly 50-minute long press conference.

“Coach Gainey’s values — we learned a lot about values, didn’t we?” N.C. State Chancellor Kevin Howell said at the Wednesday news conference, pausing for laughter before continuing, “Coach Gainey’s values reflect who we are at N.C. State.”

N.C. State athletic director Boo Corrigan followed Howell, and began his comments by thanking Wolfpack fans for their passion.

“Thank you for your toughness and resilience and your loyalty,” Corrigan said. “Now, tracking the airplane may have been a step too far.”

N.C. State fans, who have been some of the earliest to adopt the trend of “flight tracking” when hearing rumors of coaching changes, tapped into that history last week — tracking the arrival of a private jet coming from Baton Rouge to pick up Will Wade in Raleigh on Thursday evening. A horde of Wolfpack faithful arrived at RDU’s private terminal in time to boo the departing coach and yell expletives as his N.C. State-funded red Chevrolet Tahoe drove past.

When Gainey was asked how he planned on building trust with the university and its supporters after Wade’s speedy departure, Corrigan jumped in to answer the question.

“We’re here to celebrate a new leader of this program who has everything that we need and has the right moral compass for this fan base,” Corrigan said, “who understands what N.C. State is all about.”

Gainey echoed the same theme later in his own remarks.

“I would never compromise myself, compromise our name, just for a quick fix or a quick win,” Gainey said, addressing his sons in the crowd. “And I do that with you guys in mind and I try to be the best role model for you guys that I possibly can.”

In 2019 during his first stint at LSU, FBI wiretaps captured Wade discussing a “strong-ass offer” made to secure a recruit — suggesting potential payments to the player’s family as part of a broader college basketball corruption probe.

Upon accepting the N.C. State job, Wade spoke openly about the investigation into improper recruiting tactics and payments to players and what he learned from the experience. He stated publicly that he’d paid for his misdeeds. He thanked N.C. State for providing him a second chance and touted his changed mindset and personal growth.

Then, when LSU — the university that fired Wade when he was caught on the wiretap — gave the coach an opportunity to return to Baton Rouge after one year in Raleigh, he left in a move that seemed to blindside both N.C. State fans and key stakeholders like Corrigan.

“The Wolfpack ain’t for soft people,” Corrigan said last week. He also told the media he felt Wade “lied” to him.

After a whirlwind exit by Wade, N.C. State is betting that Gainey’s ties, temperament and track record can provide something it lacked in its last chapter — stability.

A High Point native and Greensboro Day School product, Gainey played at N.C. State from 1996-2000 under then-coach Herb Sendek, appearing in 128 games with 103 starts. As Corrigan pointed out Wednesday, Gainey scored the first basket for the Wolfpack in what is now the Lenovo Center.

He later began his coaching career in Raleigh as an administrative coordinator from 2006-08, followed by a year as N.C. State’s director of basketball operations under Sidney Lowe. Gainey then moved into assistant coaching stops that included Elon, Appalachian State, Santa Clara, Arizona and Marquette.

“I promise you, we’re going to build this program that reflects your energy, your toughness and your commitment,” Gainey told gathered supporters on Wednesday afternoon. “We will compete every single day to represent this university in the best way... and you have my word on that.”

This story was originally published April 1, 2026 at 5:30 PM.