Wolfpack Secures Big West Coast Commit for 2026

Welcome to Raleigh

Carter-Givens marked a huge start for the 2026 recruiting cycle in Raleigh, both literally and figuratively. The 6-foot-10 center (who might still be growing) adds immediate size to the future roster, an issue much-discussed for the 2025-26 team. Per 247Sports, the center was the No. 109-ranked recruit nationally and the No. 10 recruit out of California in 2026.

Southern California continues to be a strong recruiting bed for college basketball talent, with Carter-Givens being the latest in a long list of exciting prospects from the Los Angeles area. Considering his home base was in SoCal, Carter-Givens strongly considered offers from both San Diego State and USC (Southern California), but ultimately rolled with Wade and the Pack.

Carter-Givens showed tremendous defensive instincts and ability despite his age, helping him leapfrog several prospects later in the recruiting process. His strong showing throughout the summer on the EYBL circuit was a major boost for his stock.

Playing for Team WhyNot, Carter-Givens averaged 2.3 blocks per game. He only averaged 6.2 points per game, but the defense was enough to draw the attention of several major programs, including the Wolfpack.

The big man held offers from 12 schools, but only visited two before making his decision to go to Raleigh. Other significant programs outside his top three included Arizona State, Creighton, Florida State, Seton Hall, TCU and Washington.

Wade and the Wolfpack staff will likely treat Carter-Givens as a long-term project, similar to a player like Jayden Quaintance, who came into college somewhat incomplete on the offensive side of the ball.