NC State basketball appears to be a strong contender in the Latrell Allmond sweepstakes.
Latrell Allmond, a big man from John Marshall High School (Va.) and a former teammate of NC State sophomore Dennis Parker Jr., has visited Raleigh for unofficial trips with the Wolfpack. This 6-foot-8, 225-pound junior is a top-tier four-star recruit, ranked No. 34 overall and No. 2 among centers on the 247Sports 2026 Composite. He received an offer from Kevin Keatts and his team over two years ago.
Allmond plans to finalize his recruitment around this time next year, as he shared with On3’s Jamie Shaw back in September.
“Trust is the big thing for me,” Allmond explained when discussing what he seeks in a college. “Playing for a coach I trust allows me to play hard. My ultimate goal is to reach the NBA, so I want to play for a coach I trust and where I can earn a starting spot early.”
With relationships with head coaches being crucial for Allmond—who is recognized for his elite skills as a dominating player with a range of effective post moves—the recent news from Virginia has the potential to benefit the Wolfpack in this recruitment.
Ahead of what would have been his 16th season with the Virginia Cavaliers, 2019 national champion Tony Bennett held his official retirement press conference on Friday.
Like Keatts, Bennett extended an offer to Allmond about two years ago.
As Rivals’ Rob Cassidy noted on Friday, Bennett’s departure could mean that the home-state hopeful is practically starting from scratch.
“Allmond has roughly a year before he makes his college decision, but Bennett’s retirement will still set UVA back in its pursuit of the in-state standout…[They] managed to lay the groundwork for a strong bond before Bennett made the decision to call it quits. Allmond may still end up in Charlottesville when all is said and done, but the program’s new head coach — whether it’s [Ron] Sanchez or an outsider — will have some ground to make up.”
In addition to NC State and Virginia, Allmond’s notable early suitors include Tennessee, Georgetown, Texas A&M, and Rutgers.
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