Will Wade Is Already Making His Presence Felt at NC State

The Will Wade era at NC State is off to a strong start. Will Wade is already making his presence felt after an impressive first two games.

Will Wade Already Making Presence Felt at NC State

Still just 42 years old, Will Wade has established himself as a proven program builder throughout college basketball. Wade has had winning stints at schools such as VCU, LSU, and most recently, McNeese State. Last season, McNeese State got their first-ever NCAA tournament win after defeating Clemson 69-67 in the first round. Now, Will Wade gets the chance to transform NC State, and the Wolfpack are off to the perfect start.

NC State did not land in the top 25 of the first preseason poll but still received 101 voting points, the most of any unranked team. Despite starting unranked, NC State still received a respectable vote in the ACC preseason media poll. They were ranked 4th, which was their best ACC preseason media ranking since the 2012-13 season. NC State could potentially end up ranked in the coming days due to their strong start.

NC State Transfer Class Off to Promising Start

Headlined by ACC Preseason Player of the Year, Darrion Williams, Will Wade brought in a top-15 transfer class that should exceed expectations (h/t 247Sports). Williams is off to an efficient start, averaging 16.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. He is also shooting 60% from the field and an impressive 55.6% from three. Williams is living up to the hype so far, but he is not the only transfer making an immediate impact.

Having previously been at McNeese State with Will Wade, senior guard Quadir Copeland is also giving NC State a significant scoring boost. Copeland is averaging 16 points and 4 assists in the first two games. Tre Holloman is also another experienced backcourt option that is a capable scorer. Holloman is averaging 14.5 points so far and is shooting an impressive 71.2% on his two-point shots. NC State brought in top 30 recruit Matt Able and already had sophomore Paul McNeil Jr., but NC State’s transfer class could really elevate the team.

NC State Promising Start

NC State won their opener against NC Central by an impressive 114-66 scoreline. They received double-digit scoring from seven different players and did not let up after building an early lead. The second game against UAB was slightly more competitive, but NC State still showed significant offensive prowess, winning 94-70. Right now, NC State is 24th in the KenPom rankings with the 21st best offense and 31st best defense. While their current ranking is 5th best in the ACC, the program is well on track to return to the NCAA tournament and be a surprise team.

The Verdict

After just two games, NC State looks like a team that deserves to be ranked. Following a disappointing 2024-25 season, NC State looks likely to return to the NCAA tournament this season. NC State is already getting strong production from Will Wade’s first transfer class as the NC State head coach. Even as the competition gets tougher, Wade has a strong track record, and NC State is already feeling his winning impact.