How Paul McNeil’s uncommon work ethic put him on the brink of setting NC State’s new 3-point record

DAYTON, Ohio — Paul McNeil was angry. He spent the 165-mile bus ride from the Spectrum Center in Uptown Charlotte to the Dail Basketball Center in Raleigh stewing in his frustration from missing five 3-pointers in NC State’s 7-point loss to Virginia in the ACC Tournament quarterfinal last Thursday afternoon. To him, it didn’t matter that he knocked down a half dozen triples en route to 26 points, his highest output in both departments in more than a month. The loss stung. And the missed shots did too.  So instead of getting off the bus and heading back to his apartment, McNeil did the only thing he could think to do: Get shots up on the Wolfpack’s practice floor. The sophomore guard, still in his white Adidas travel zip-up hoodie with the Tuffy logo affixed on the front to go with the matching sweatpants and white sneakers, was the only player standing on the hardwood. He was accompanied by a student manager in a similar outfit, while Director of Player Development Joseph Anderson was nearby.  A photo of McNeil working on his game, just hours after being eliminated in the ACC Tournament, picked up traction on social media. Anderson initially posted it on his Instagram story before it landed on X, formerly known as Twitter, where NC State fans got a glimpse of what drives the Pack’s elite 3-point shooter.  While this seemed to be a one-off, one born from the team's season nearing an end with the postseason on the horizon, it wasn’t. McNeil is in the gym nearly every day, whether he’s playing well or not, to continue working on his craft. Just this session was a way for him to work through his frustration of falling short of a chance to play for a title in the Queen City. “I was in my head about wanting to win,” McNeil told TheWolfpacker.com. “I ain’t won a championship in a long time. That’s something I take personally. Being in the gym is like my relief.” McNeil, a self-described “gym rat,” has a chance to make history in NC State’s First Four matchup with Texas on Tuesday night at Dayton’s UD Arena. He’s four made triples away from breaking the program’s single-season 3-point record, currently held by DJ Horne and his 105 made perimeter shots in 40 games during the Wolfpack’s Final Four run two years ago.  For a player that posted more “did not play - coach’s decisions” than double-figure scoring efforts as a freshman under Kevin Keatts a year ago, how did McNeil position himself to break out with a chance to rewrite the record book? His constant desire to improve with a unique work ethic is the key.