Justin Gainey brings special appreciation to being coronated as NC State's next head coach

Nearly any direction one were to look inside the second-floor ballroom at the Lenovo Center on Wednesday afternoon, a past NC State player was holding court with a group of donors and others surrounding them.  From recent stars like TJ Warren to past standouts like Chris Corchiani to Ernie Myers and Dereck Whittenburg, the Wolfpack family was all in one room. They arrived on one accord to embrace one of its own rising to the top of the program. By the time Justin Gainey, the former dynamic point guard turned defensive mastermind, walked into the room, the crowd thrust into a standing ovation. This may have been scheduled as an introductory press conference to welcome the 22nd coach in NC State program history, but it had the feeling of a family reunion.  From his wife and two of his three children sitting alongside his parents in the front row and extended relatives located just behind, Gainey didn’t have to look far to spot his family. And soon enough, as his eyes darted from one side to the other, Gainey’s smile grew larger and larger.  It didn’t take long for what was truly happening to hit him.