NC State’s Will Wade Fires Shot at UNC and Hubert Davis Over Ven-Allen Lubin Transfer

NC State’s Will Wade Fires Shot at UNC and Hubert Davis Over Ven-Allen Lubin Transfer

In the heated world of college basketball rivalries, a new fire has been lit and it’s coming from Raleigh.

NC State head coach Will Wade made waves over the weekend with pointed comments aimed directly at UNC and head coach Hubert Davis, taking a public jab over the recent transfer of Ven-Allen Lubin, who left North Carolina for NC State in one of the most controversial moves of the offseason.

Lubin, a 6-foot-8 center who’s now with his fourth program in four years, had just wrapped up a solid year with the Tar Heels before making the shocking decision to transfer to their bitter in-state rival. It marked the first time in the transfer portal era that a player made the jump directly from Chapel Hill to Raleigh and it didn’t go unnoticed.

Speaking to the NC State student body, Wade didn’t hold back.

“The other school [North Carolina] was too dumb to play him,” Wade said. “When he plays 28-plus minutes   he’s done that in 23 games   he averages 15 [points] and 8 [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 8.”

The comments ignited a storm across social media, with many UNC fans expressing outrage, and others questioning what really went wrong with Lubin’s fit under Davis. Last season, Lubin averaged 8.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in just under 20 minutes per game for the Tar Heels, starting 20 games. He was often caught in a rotation shuffle as Davis experimented with different frontcourt pairings throughout the year.

Wade, meanwhile, sees him as a key piece and wasted no time making that clear.

Lubin began his college career at Notre Dame, then transferred to Vanderbilt, where he had his best statistical year (12.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG). His brief stint at UNC never fully materialized into a starring role, but Wade is betting big that Lubin can thrive with a more prominent opportunity in Raleigh.

The Bigger Picture

North Carolina, for their part, has already moved on, adding Arizona transfer Henry Veesaar and welcoming top-10 recruit Caleb Wilson, a projected NBA lottery pick. But Will Wade’s comments won’t soon be forgotten—not by UNC, not by its fanbase, and certainly not when the two programs face off next season.

With Lubin in red and white, and Wade throwing early jabs, the next installment of the Tobacco Road rivalry just got personal.

Get your popcorn ready.