NC State Basketball Ben Middlebrooks Transfer: What Really Happened

Ben Middlebrooks is gone. If you're a Wolfpack fan, that sentence probably carries a mix of nostalgia and "what if." One minute he’s the high-energy spark plug fueling a miracle run to the 2024 Final Four, and the next, he’s halfway across the world. No, he didn't head to another ACC rival. He didn't even stay in the United States.

The NC State basketball Ben Middlebrooks transfer story is one of the weirder ones in recent Raleigh sports history. It involves a coaching change, a brief stint in the dreaded transfer portal, and an eventual flight to Sweden.

Let's be real: college basketball in 2026 is basically a game of musical chairs played with million-dollar checks. But Middlebrooks’ exit felt different. It wasn't just about the NIL money or a lack of playing time. It was the end of an era that defied every logic-defying odd in the book.

The Portal Jump Nobody Expected (But Everyone Feared)

March 24, 2025. That was the day it became official. Ben Middlebrooks entered the NCAA transfer portal.

At the time, the program was in total upheaval. Kevin Keatts, the man who brought Ben over from Clemson, had been fired. In his place came Will Wade, a coach known for being... well, aggressive. Wade was clearing house and rebuilding the roster from the ground up.

Most fans thought Middlebrooks might stay. Why wouldn't he? He was a hero in Raleigh. He had just come off a senior season where he averaged 7.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. He was the guy who dropped 21 on Texas Tech in the 2024 tournament. You don't just replace that kind of grit.

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But the portal is a vacuum. Once you're in, the vibes change.

Middlebrooks was technically out of eligibility, but there was a massive push to get him a medical redshirt or an extra year due to some NCAA rule changes being debated at the time. He wanted one more dance. The Wolfpack, however, were moving in a different direction. Wade was bringing in guys like Ven-Allen Lubin and Darrion Williams. The writing was on the wall: Middlebrooks was a legacy player in a new regime.

Why the Transfer Portal Didn't Lead to Another College

Here is the thing most people get wrong about the NC State basketball Ben Middlebrooks transfer. Everyone assumed he’d end up at a mid-major or maybe a Big 12 school looking for a veteran rim protector.

He didn't.

After testing the waters and seeing what the collegiate landscape looked like under the new 2025-2026 rules, Middlebrooks made a pivot. Instead of playing for a third college team—remember, he started at Clemson before the Pack—he decided to go pro.

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In July 2025, news broke that he signed with the Norrköping Dolphins in Sweden.

It was a shocker. From the PNC Arena to the Basketligan. Honestly, it makes sense. He’s 6-foot-10, mobile, and hits his free throws at a respectable clip. In the European game, a big man who actually hustles and doesn't just camp in the paint is worth his weight in gold.

Breaking Down the Numbers

To understand why his departure left such a hole, you have to look at the 2024-25 stats. Ben wasn't a superstar, but he was the "glue."

• Minutes: He averaged about 21.6 per game.
• Efficiency: He shot nearly 45% from the floor.
• Defensive Impact: He led the team in blocks (1.3) during his final year.
• The Foul Problem: Okay, let’s be honest—Ben loved a good foul. He averaged 3.2 fouls per game. He played with a "hit first, ask questions later" mentality that the fans loved but the refs hated.

Life After the Pack: The Sweden Connection

Since moving to Sweden, Middlebrooks has actually been thriving. There was a report just a few days ago, on January 17, 2026, that he’s been a force for the Dolphins. He even dropped a career-high 32 points in a game back in November.

It's funny. We spend so much time worrying about the NC State basketball Ben Middlebrooks transfer as a loss for the team, but for the kid, it was clearly the right move. He went from being a "foul-prone backup" in the eyes of some scouts to a legitimate professional scoring threat.

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Back in Raleigh, Will Wade’s version of the Wolfpack is doing its own thing. They’ve got a different identity now—faster, maybe a bit more polished, but definitely less "gritty." They miss that Middlebrooks energy. There’s a certain type of roar the crowd makes when a guy like Ben dives into the front row for a loose ball. You can't recruit that.

What Most Fans Missed About the Exit

The biggest misconception? That there was bad blood.

There wasn't. Middlebrooks stayed through the coaching transition long enough to see if he fit. When it became clear that the roster spot wasn't guaranteed and the NCAA's extra-year waiver was a bureaucratic nightmare, he chose his future.

He left NC State as an ACC Champion. He left as a Final Four participant. Very few transfers can say they actually won something before moving on. He didn't leave because he was unhappy; he left because he had "beaten the game" at the college level.

Actionable Insights for Wolfpack Fans

If you're still tracking the fallout of the NC State basketball Ben Middlebrooks transfer, here is what you need to keep an eye on:

• Watch the International Stats: If you want to see how Ben is doing, follow the Basketligan (Swedish League). He’s playing for a winning culture there.
• Monitor the New Frontcourt: Watch how Ven-Allen Lubin handles the physical minutes Ben used to take. The Wolfpack's interior defense is the biggest question mark of the 2025-26 season.
• Appreciate the 2024 Run: Realize that Middlebrooks was the perfect "right time, right place" player. His transfer marks the official closing of the Keatts era's greatest achievement.

The transfer portal can be a cold place. It usually feels like a betrayal. But in this case, it was just a bridge to a professional career. Ben Middlebrooks did his job in Raleigh. He fought, he fouled, he won, and then he moved on.

That's just the way the modern game works.