RALEIGH — Justin Gainey inherited a roster in complete and total flux when he accepted the head coaching position for NC State men's basketball at the beginning of April. Still, the first-time coach wanted to ensure his alma mater remains competitive right at the start of his tenure, attacking the transfer portal in the ensuing weeks to rebuild the team.

Former Boise State guard RJ Keene became the fifth member of the 2026 transfer class for Wolfpack basketball and the third guard to come aboard Gainey's project in Raleigh. NC State is going to get a fierce competitor and self-proclaimed "glue guy" for the 2026-27 roster, filling a need for a defensive-minded, low-usage wing player who can come off the bench and be effective in spurts.

The Wolfpack's glue guy

Go pack🐺 #committed #glueguy pic.twitter.com/rWmdd4ZDMn

— RJ Keene (@rjkeeneii) April 24, 2026

In his commitment announcement on X (formerly known as Twitter), Keene called himself a glue guy, a moniker he embraced during his time at Boise State…