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Fifth-year forward Ven-Allen Lubin announced a return to NC State. Plus: more fifth-year commits, Saint Mary's and others played exhibitions overseas, Kentucky and Wichita State are set to play, and more.
Sam Lance
August 17, 2026
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Good morning everyone! I’m back from an extended weekend/vacation. Let’s get right to the news.
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1. Ven-Allen Lubin returning to NC State + more fifth-year news
Justin Gainey wasn’t dealt the best hand for his first offseason as NC State’s head coach, taking over the program just a couple days before the portal opened due to Will Wade’s abrupt departure.
Still, Gainey has put together an impressive roster for next season. And his latest addition is a big one: senior big man Ven-Allen Lubin will return to the Wolfpack.
Lubin, the 6-9 big man, averaged 13.6 points and 7.1 rebounds last season for NC State after transferring in from North Carolina. He’s a much needed inside presence for the Wolfpack heading into 2026-27.
NC State has talent galore at the guard spot, but it was the frontcourt that really needed a lift, and now it gets one. The top eight of Preston Edmead, Christian Hammond, Paul McNeil, Lubin, Kyle Evans, Darius Adams, RJ Keane and Eemeli Yalaho should push for an NCAA Tournament berth.
More fifth-year happenings:
DePaul forward NJ Benson (11.7 ppg, 7.6 rpg) chose Georgetown. He adds more depth to Ed Cooley’s frontcourt.
SMU guard BJ Edwards (12.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 4.9 apg) committed to Oklahoma. Porter Moser is quietly building a really solid roster with the Sooners.
Utah State guard Kolby King (7.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg) chose Auburn. He’ll be at his fifth school in five seasons, starting his career at St. John’s in 2022-23.
Akron guard Tavari Johnson (19.7 ppg, 5.0 apg) will transfer to Charleston, following head coach John Groce.
Damien Mayo Jr. will return to Southern Illinois. He’s made 87 total starts in his college career.
Ohio’s leading scorer from last season, 6-2 guard Jackson Paveletzke, announced he’s coming back for his fifth-year.
SIUE wing Ring Malith committed to Belmont. This is a great late addition for the Bruins. The 6-9 forward averaged 17 ppg for SIUE last season.
2. Saint Mary’s and others in action overseas
With the NCAA’s new rule allowing teams to take foreign tours annually instead of every four years, we’ve seen an influx in overseas basketball this summer.
This weekend was no exception with six total programs playing games. Here’s a rundown of the results:
