The North Carolina State basketball program has entered the Will Wade era after hiring him following this past NCAA Tournament. Known for his recruiting prowess, Wade arrives in Raleigh aiming to have a strong offseason in the transfer portal. NC State has struggled over the last two seasons, though just two years ago the team made a magical run to the Final Four.
Wade led McNeese State to the NCAA Tournament in each of the past two seasons and appeared to have implemented a clear two-year plan with the school and its players. Now, he may be close to landing an experienced—though costly—guard in PJ Haggerty.
Haggerty reportedly has an asking price of $4 million, and with it being this late in the transfer portal cycle, many programs may not have the budget to meet it.
“A lot of these bigger names are saying 'no way' to PJ Haggerty's asking price of $4 million plus. And timing is everything here. A lot of schools don't have that amount left to offer,” Jeff Goodman wrote.
However, finances aren’t the only factor in Haggerty’s decision.
“Memphis transfer PJ Haggerty’s camp is asking for $4 million-plus and for him to spend majority of his time at point guard,” Goodman posted.
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Just last week, Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway mentioned the possibility of Haggerty returning to Memphis. That now seems unlikely, and a season with Wade at NC State appears much more plausible.
“NC State is heavily in the mix, Haggerty is not slated to visit Ole Miss anytime soon and Texas is not and hasn’t ever been involved,” Goodman wrote.
The Wolfpack are looking to turn things around quickly under Wade, who has made it clear that this is not a rebuild. NC State hopes to improve on its recent regular-season performances, and if Wade can land Haggerty, it would provide a major boost to those efforts.