Instead of joining the CBA, Kornegay returned to his home state of North Carolina to star for the Raleigh Cougars in the 1997–1998 season, forming a formidable frontline with Lorenzo Charles and Greg Newton.
Kornegay's decision not to join the CBA led him to return home to North Carolina, where he played for the Raleigh Cougars alongside Lorenzo Charles and Greg Newton, forming a formidable defensive unit during the 1997–1998 season.