For the second time in two days, NC State basketball lands a veteran transfer. This time it’s Jarkel Joiner, a 6-foot-1 guard via Ole Miss.
Joiner is an experienced player, one with a lot of scoring acumen, too. Joiner spent the last three years at Ole Miss, including a redshirt season (2019-20); however, he started his career at Cal State Bakersfield in 2017. During his four seasons — 114 games, 102 starts — on the floor, Joiner collected 1,471 points (12.9 points per game), 169 assists and 140 3-pointers (32 3P%).
Last ride 📸#Wolfpack pic.twitter.com/CBnx3RaZvn
— Jarkel Joiner (@JarkelJoiner) April 20, 2022
Joiner averaged 13.2 points and 2.3 assists per game in the 2021-22 season, while appearing in 22 games (17 starts). He shot 82.5 percent from the free throw line and 34 percent from beyond the arc (35-of-103 3PA). Joiner is a career 81.8 percent shooter from the charity stripe.
The addition of Joiner likely requires a big salute to new assistant coach Levi Watkins. A former NC State player (2001-05), Watkins spent the last four seasons with Ole Miss, which overlaps with Joiner’s time in Oxford.
Earlier this week, the Wolfpack also landed Jack Clark, a 6-foot-8 wing from La Salle. Clark averaged 12.0 points (38.4 FG%), 5.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steal per game this season.
This has been a busy offseason for NC State basketball; it’s included quite a bit of turnover, with both the roster and coaching staff under Kevin Keatts. However, adding Joiner and Clark to the mix — to experienced players that can score the ball — helps for the 2022-23 season.
NC State will continue to wait the NBA Draft decisions of Dereon Seabron and Terquavion Smith. Both players declared for the 2022 NBA Draft, while maintaining their eligibility. Reading the room: Seabron is likely to remain the the draft. Smith, however, is more of a coin toss: he could return to Raleigh or he could remain in the draft and look to crack into the first round.