"The other school was too dumb to play him": Will Wade rips Hubert Davis, UNC over Ven-Allen Lubin transfer

NC State coach Will Wade has opened a new chapter in the school's rivalry with North Carolina almost three months into his tenure.

In a video, Wade called North Carolina transfer Ven-Allen Lubin to the crowd's attention and then ripped Tar Heels coach for apparently being clueless on how to play him last season.

"I don’t know where we got him from, we got him on the side of the road," Wade said. "The other school was too dumb to play him."

"When (Lubin) plays 28-plus minutes - he’s done that in 23 games - he averages 15 (points) and eight (rebounds). I don’t know why the hell they didn’t play him but we’re gonna play him, so he’s gonna average 15 and eight," the former McNeese and LSU coach added.

The 6-foot-8 Lubin averaged 8.7 points and 5.5 rebounds in 37 games last season and shot 68.4% from the field. He produced a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds against Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinals.

Wade fired the first salvo into the renewal of the interstate clash also known as the "State-Carolina game." And Lubin, who committed to NC State on June 1 after playing a season with North Carolina, will be the focal point of their only regular-season showdown at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh.

Wade will have to do everything to beat North Carolina in its only game this season. In four seasons as UNC coach, Davis is 7-2 against NC State.

The Tar Heels swept both games last season to improve their record against Wolfpack to 168-81.

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Will Wade aims to lead NC State back to NCAA Tournament

The 42-year-old coach replaced former coach Kevin Keatts, who underperformed last season after guiding NC State to a Final Four stint in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

The Wolfpack placed 16th in the ACC regular season at 5-15 and 12-19 overall, causing the school to fire Keatts at the end of the season.

Wade went to work after his appointment and acquired four high school and international recruits including four-star guard Matt Able and highly-rated power forward prospect Zymicah Williams.

He had a bigger haul in the transfer portal, securing the commitments of eight players, including Lubin, Texas Tech star Derrion Williams, Houston small forward Terrance Arceneaux and Michigan State point guard Tre Holloman.

The Wolfpack heads into the 2025-26 season with a lot of promise with Wade on the helm. They hope to contend in the ACC regular season and work their way into the 2026 NCAA Tournament with a strong lineup.