How a workout on his visit led Florida State transfer Jerry Deng to commit to NC State

By Noah Fleischman

Florida State transfer forward Jerry Deng had been through the portal process after departing Hampton last offseason, so he knew what he wanted this time around. 

He didn’t have a burning desire to go on a nationwide tour of programs. Instead, he wanted to keep it low-key, find his fit and commit. 

And as Deng was on NC State’s campus for his official visit last Thursday, he wanted to show the Wolfpack’s coaching staff how he’s worked on his own game since the Seminoles’ season came to end in March. Tightening his handle was a key part of the last couple months, and Deng was more than willing to show it off. 

He laced up a pair of basketball shoes and took the court inside the Dail Basketball Center to prove it. His drive to get on the floor in front of Will Wade and his assistants stood out to the Wolfpack’s staff, which were already serious contenders to land Deng’s services. 

Deng’s workout seemed to seal the deal. 

“They saw me going full intensity ,and it showed them what type of person I am and what’s in the future for me,” Deng told TheWolfpacker.com. “They were happy with that and impressed with that.”

Deng committed to the staff on the visit and publicly announced his decision to join NC State’s roster on Friday afternoon. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining. 

The 6-foot-9 forward projects to play at the four spot for NC State and brings versatility to the lineup with his ability to guard nearly any player on the court. He can also step out to hit a 3-pointer. Deng averaged 7.0 points and 1.9 rebounds at Florida State and is a career 38 percent 3-point shooter. 

His skill set had teams from all over the country inquiring for his talent, including BYU, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, LSU and UNLV among others. NC State , though, was the only school to get a visit from Deng, who was drawn to Wade’s background of developing players for the NBA during his time at VCU and LSU. 

“Really just Will Wade’s track record of putting guys like me in the league — that’s the ultimate goal,” Deng said. “I feel like he’s going to help me get there. Everybody I talked to said Will Wade’s a winner, and I like to win. It went hand-in-hand.”

Deng’s path to this moment is a winding journey. He was born in Rochester, N.Y., to South Sudanese refugees before his family moved to Texas when he was young, then to Sioux Falls, S.D., from his third to ninth grade, then finally to Norcross, Ga., where he played high school basketball in the Peach State’s highest classification. 

It’s a journey that has taught Deng a lot about the ups and downs of life, but it has also led him to success in the college basketball world from Hampton to Florida State and now NC State. 

“I just kept working and kept my head down,” Deng said. “It paid off. I went to Florida State, kept working, and now I’m here. And I don’t plan on stopping.”

His season at Florida State proved that he can stick at the ACC level. It has motivated him to continue his upward trajectory with NC State.

“I know I can play at this level,” Deng said. “I started off a little slow being behind a couple of great players. But in practice, you’ve have to bring it every day. I feel like that improved my motor, and I’m ready to take that next step next year.”

There’s still a little more than six months until Deng will officially make his NC State debut, but he’s already spent time inside Lenovo Center. Deng scored 4 points with three rebounds and a steal in the Pack’s 84-74 overtime win against the Seminoles on Dec. 7. 

That experience, despite being a loss for his former squad, did play a role in Deng’s commitment. 

“Seeing how the fans came out and supported them was amazing,” Deng said.

Now, he can’t wait to put on a show for the Wolfpack faithful during the 2025-26 campaign. The way Deng went through the portal was methodical and intentional to find the perfect landing spot, and he felt as though NC State checked every box.

That helped make his decision an easy one, wrapping up the portal process after his first and only visit.

“I was just looking for the right situation where the coach had a real plan for me, my development and winning,” Deng said. “Those were the main things. … We’re building a squad.”