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When building a roster, Justin Gainey likes to hold a couple of scholarships — just in case. That philosophy worked well this year.
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The N.C. State men’s basketball roster appeared virtually complete one month ago. It added — or re-added — Ven-Allen Lubin this weekend.
Lubin played for the Wolfpack last season after spending one year at North Carolina. He was a key member of the starting lineup. He averaged 13.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, while leading the ACC in scoring percentage.
Gainey confirmed on Wednesday, following the announcement of a nonconference N.C. State-UNC game, that he purposely had kept two spots available while he created his first-year roster. Lawsuits fighting the NCAA’s “5-for-5” rule, which excluded players from the Class of 2022, have allowed players like Lubin to return. (Based on the rule and their age, preliminary injunctions say they are eligible to play.)
“That rule definitely really changed the landscape. … I won’t say I was forward-thinking enough to think that this was going to come through, but it ended up working out in our favor,” Gainey said. “We do have one spot open. I think we’ve been really strategic about how we want to add to our roster and add to the construction of the team.”
Gainey and Lubin first connected in April, shortly after Gainey was hired to lead the program. The senior was using the facilities ahead of NBA Draft evaluation. Gainey said he asked Lubin about his time with the Wolfpack. They also discussed Lubin’s future, his legacy with N.C. State and Gainey offered to be a resource.
“You’ve got Wolfpack blood in you, and I want you to call this home,” Gainey recalled telling Lubin. “Our relationship started then. Fast-forward to where it is now, and to have him back; he’s an amazing person, high-character guy.”
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Gainey said a player has to be the right fit if he is going to award one of the final scholarships. He doesn’t want to add someone just to say he added another player. The Wolfpack wants to be a unit. He believes the program got that when it retained Lubin.
The forward also adds depth and experience in the frontcourt, giving the team six players in the post. His addition shifts the lineup, altering the idea of what the Wolfpack would have this season, but Gainey’s rotation is far from set. The development and preparation of players will dictate how deep it goes on the bench.
Lubin has only practiced twice and is still transitioning to the new staff, terminology and processes.
Despite the quick transition, Gainey believes Lubin will be a major contributor on the court, in the locker room, “in every facet of what he does, what he brings to the table and what he means to this team and N.C. State.”
The Wolfpack still has one roster spot available, but Gainey is not rushing to fill it.
“We’ve been really strategic about how we want to add to our roster and add to the construction of the team,” Gainey said, noting a desire for high-character players who fit a specific need. “If there is a young man out there that fits that for that last spot, we’d be open to having a conversation.”
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