# @packpride83 on YouTube

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://youtube.com/watch?v=jm9s5Mi6ijc
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/70788191-packpride83-youtube
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/56b8ead55d.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-09-25T15:18:17.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Pack Pride — NC State Wolfpack Athletics (@packpride83) — https://gondola.cc/packpride83

## Caption

There is no shortage of hype for Preston Edmead, even before he plays his first game for NC State. He averaged 16.1 points and 4.4 assists as a Hofstra freshman, won CAA Rookie of the Year and delivered when the stakes were highest, including 26 points in the conference championship game and 24 against Alabama in the NCAA Tournament. 

Apparently, Justin Gainey is excited about him, too. And when Gainey explained why at his September 17 press conference, he offered Wolfpack fans an intriguing comparison.

“With Preston, I saw toughness. I saw a guy that had a chip on his shoulder. Obviously, he had a great freshman year and a great NCAA tournament, but it was just talking to him on the phone. It was being around him and understanding where he came from that excited me even more about him. And, you know, he reminds me of a point guard that I had a chance to coach for four years previously, coming from the same area in Long Island, New York.”

The guard Gainey was referring to is Zakai Zeigler, whom he coached for four seasons at Tennessee. 

Now this is a comparison worth exploring. Zeigler was a star at Tennessee. He became a two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year, a four-time SEC All-Defensive Team selection, and a Third Team All-American. He finished his Tennessee career as the program’s leader in assists and steals.

#NCSTate #wolfpack #Packbasketball

## Stats

- **Views:** 1,801
- **Likes:** 19
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 2

## Tags

wolfpack, packbasketball, ncstate

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