D.J. McDuffie, who played prep with Gainey at Greensboro Day, said he saw this future coming.
"We played together in high school. So I've known him since we were 16 years old," he said. "He was our point guard, right? I mean, so he led the team. You know, Coach (Freddy) Johnson put a lot of things on his shoulders, and he just handled it with class. He was our leader."
Other former NC State point guards were also on hand to welcome Gainey back. Chris Corchiani, an NC State floor general from 1987-1991, beamed with pride that a fellow alum and point guard now takes the reins as head man.
Watch: Justin Gainey's full remarks as new head coach at NC State
"They say the point guard is the extension of the head coach. And Justin certainly was that the four years here that he was a four-year starter," Corchiani said.
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Another former NC State legend, Dereck Whittenburg, also shared similar sentiments.
"Point guard, as the most important position in basketball, is like the quarterback in football," he said. "He's got all the qualities that I'm excited for."
Supporters said Gainey's path -- 20 years as an assistant coach across the country-- makes his homecoming even more meaningful.
"He put in a lot of time and effort and years, you know, with tutelage on some of the great coaches across the country," Corchiani said. "So he's put in his dues, and now his reward is to lead us to prominence."
The enthusiasm stretches across generations of Wolfpack alumni.
"I got a call from every former player at every level from the '50s and '60s, in the '70s, '80s, '90s, to thousands, they excited," added Whittenburg. "And I think that's important because he bleeds red."
For McDuffie, the moment is personal.
"He's just an overall great guy, great basketball coach who works really, really hard, and I'm so happy for him to achieve the dreams," he said.