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Surging Prep Enjoys NC State Basketball Tour After Landing UNC Offer

Originally posted on NC State Wolfpack on SI
By Matt Giles | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 5:54 AM ET

On Sunday evening, reports surfaced of the UNC basketball recruiting team officially extending an offer to Bishop McNamara School (Md.) forward and recent NBPA Top 100 standout Qayden Samuels. Now, the 6-foot-5, 200-pound rising senior is already fresh off a trip to Raleigh, where he checked out the NC State basketball program via an unofficial visit with Will Wade's Wolfpack.

Samuels was at NC State on Wednesday, On3's Joe Tipton first reported on social media:

NC State hosted 2026's No. 15 overall recruit Qayden Samuels for an unofficial visit today, source told @On3Recruits.

The 6-foot-5 wing led the NBPA Top-100 Camp in both points (26.4) and rebounds (9.8) last week.

Samuels is the younger brother of NC State women's basketball… pic.twitter.com/hfAZOlIqzV
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) June 19, 2025

And as Tipton noted in his report, Qayden Samuels' older sister just so happens to be one of this offseason's NC State women's basketball signees in UConn transfer Qadence Samuels. Perhaps that tie to the Wolfpack will give Will Wade & Co. an instant advantage in his recruitment should the program's new coaching staff decide to formally enter the mix with an offer of its own.

A five-star talent in the cycle, Qayden Samuels recently jumped two spots to No. 18 overall on the 247Sports 2026 Composite, marking a 15-notch climb from where he debuted in the rankings last June.

This article first appeared on NC State Wolfpack on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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