NC State AD Stumbles Over New Assistant Coach's Name

Viral video shows athletic director repeatedly mispronouncing Justin Gainey's name at introductory press conference.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 10:25pm

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In a cringeworthy moment during a press conference to introduce NC State's new assistant basketball coach Justin Gainey, the university's athletic director was caught on video repeatedly mispronouncing Gainey's name, much to the amusement of social media users.

Why it matters

The gaffe by the athletic director has become a viral sensation, drawing attention to the challenges of properly introducing new hires, especially in the age of social media where any misstep can quickly spread and be mocked online.

The details

In the video, the athletic director can be heard referring to Gainey as 'Gailey' and 'Gaines' multiple times during the press conference, despite Gainey's name being clearly displayed on the backdrop behind them. The awkward exchange has been widely shared and commented on across social media platforms.

  • The press conference introducing Justin Gainey as NC State's new assistant basketball coach took place on April 1, 2026.

The players

Justin Gainey

The new assistant basketball coach at NC State University.

NC State Athletic Director

The university's athletic director who repeatedly mispronounced Gainey's name during the introductory press conference.

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What they’re saying

“I'm just glad my name isn't as hard to pronounce as the athletic director made it seem.”

— Justin Gainey, New NC State Assistant Basketball Coach

The takeaway

This incident serves as a reminder for public figures to carefully prepare and practice pronouncing unfamiliar names correctly, especially when introducing new hires or team members to avoid embarrassing gaffes that can quickly go viral online.