New NC State head coach Will Wade landed his first commitment from the 2026 high school class, signing center Trevon Carter-Givens. After taking over earlier this year, Wade retooled his roster for 2025-26 and is already looking to the future with this commitment. Carter-Givens broke out over the last year or so playing for SoCal Academy and Team WhyNot on the EYBL Circuit.
The four-star center was one of the nation’s best complementary centers this summer, averaging 5.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game on 71.7% true shooting, according to Synergy. Without a feature offensive role, Carter-Givens impacted the game on defense, on the glass and finishing plays at the hoop.
What makes Carter-Givens special?
Listed at 6’11 with a reported 7’6 wingspan, offenses have major trouble scoring around Carter-Givens. His 2.4 blocks per game tied for first on the 17u EYBL circuit and ranked him fifth among the three major shoe circuits (Nike, Adidas and Under Armour). He’s a consummate defensive playmaker, ranking third in stocks (steals plus blocks) per game on the EYBL circuit with 2.9.
In multiple Carter-Givens games I watched, the box score undercounted his steal and block totals. A high-revving motor, condor arms and explosive vertical leaping make him one of the country’s best shot blockers. When he reins in his tendency to leap at pump fakes, he sports frightening potential with his rim protection and athleticism:
trevon carter-givens (’26 4*) dominated on defense for whynot on friday. 6’9 with a 7’5 (!!!) WS, fluid mover, quick off of the ground, motor runs hot. constant presence in this one
EYBL logged him with 2 blocks and 2 steals but i counted at least 4-5 blocks in this one pic.twitter.com/dOIJE0WOUQ
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) April 26, 2025
Excellent mobility allows Carter-Givens to wade out towards the perimeter and disrupt offense by clogging passing lanes and showing at handlers trying to crack the paint. At his ultimate ceiling, he boasts the physical and athletic tools to thrive in multiple pick-and-roll coverages, from deep drop to defending at the level or even occasional switches.
He imparts offensive value like many rim-running, defensively-oriented center prospects, scoring on low volume and excellent efficiency. Dominant foul-drawing (57% free-throw rate) and interior scoring (76.8% at the rim) make him an ideal fit next to great offensive teammates. When his guards operate ball screens or drive to the hoop, Carter-Givens provides an enormous target.
How will he fit in Raleigh?
Carter-Givens doesn’t bring much offensively at this stage aside from basic play finishing and glass crashing. He’s a non-threat from the outside with an unrefined handle and decision making chops. Though defenses too easily frazzle him with the ball, he at least flashed some basic passing competency this summer:
i enjoyed some of the passing flashes from trevon carter givens this summer despite low assist numbers (0.6 ast/g, 0.5 a:to)
has plenty of room to grow skill and feel wise, but he’s willing to make basic interior passes to cutters already pic.twitter.com/9nahSbquFV
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) September 12, 2025
Despite an impressive EYBL season and a coveted high-major commitment, consensus rankings still underrate Carter-Givens. He ranks outside of the top 100 on 247’s 2026 consensus board and 16th among centers in the class. That’s at least 50 spots too low by my estimation, especially in a center class without many high-upside options.
It’s far too early to know what NC State’s roster will look like for the 2026-27 college season. Regardless of its future construction Carter-Givens makes for an ideal first piece. Elite rim protection is a highly valuable commodity, which could lead him to exceed his recruiting expectations and even push for eventual NBA Draft attention.
