NC State men’s basketball begins practice, and Will Wade is confident as ever
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Will Wade debuted an energized, disciplined N.C. State team with revamped roster.
- The team launched 2025-26 practice with intensity, detail, and cohesion.
- Strong NIL backing, rising ticket sales and deep roster boost contender outlook.
Will Wade stepped onto the court on Monday at the Dail Basketball Center at the end of warmups, clapping to a rhythm that everyone followed as they circled up to begin practice.
Despite it being the first official practice of the 2025-26 season — with an overhauled roster and coaching staff — very little looked new. The players and staff communicated like they’ve known each other forever, ran drills like it was midway through the schedule and had a clear, organized system in place.
Wade said he wanted to build a program on hard work, and from 45 minutes of open practice, it appeared that goal was met.
There was no questioning the players’ energy, with the drills marked by intensity and purpose. North Carolina transfer Ven-Allen Lubin hit the floor during one drill, sliding across the hardwood and leaving a spot of perspiration in his wake. The managers scurried over to wipe it up, but there was still obvious proof of his tumble and effort.
Players and coaches yelled both critique and encouragement, emphasizing every detail and re-running drills to make sure every athlete performed the skill correctly.
The “reckoning” Wade promised in March is here.
“People are gonna have to deal with this a lot sooner than they think,” Wade said on Monday. “Our team’s a little bit better than I thought. We’ve got a damn good team all right. People are gonna have to deal with us here real quick, and they’re gonna see when we’re all aligned and we’re all as one, and we’re all moving in the same direction, better get the hell out of the way.”
Everything is in place for the program to be a legitimate contender this winter.
N.C. State and its supporters have provided NIL/revenue sharing funding. The university has sold nearly 10,000 season tickets, with the opener nearing a sellout. It has a highly-competitive roster that includes some of the top players in the nation. The team added Gambian forward Musa Sagnia with the help of the administration and boosters working the political side. The staff in place knows how to develop winners, too.
“I’ve got everything I need,” Wade said. “I ain’t complaining about nothing … It’s on us to deliver, on me to deliver, and we’re going to.”
The first-year head coach didn’t just talk in vague terms about N.C. State’s roster. He also shared quantifiable data from the offseason activities to provide tangible examples of the improvements.
Players, on average, have reduced their body fat by 2% and increased their lean muscle by 7%. The team is bench pressing roughly 30 pounds more per player, while players are averaging 772-pound deadlifts. Wade said that was a 65% increase.
The team made 38% of its 848 live 5-on-5 3-point shot attempts, which is roughly 3% higher than expected when the staff put the roster together. Four players are making 40% of their 3s, including returnee Paul McNeil. He’s making 46% of his triples. The squad is averaging a 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio, with Quadir Copeland, Tre Holloman and Darrion Williams all contributing at least a 2:1 ratio.
“I think we’re ahead of where I thought we would be at this point. Last time we met, we weren’t all that healthy,” Wade said, referring to his press conference in June. “We’re as healthy as we’ve been. We’ll be able to practice with 14 of our 15 players today, which is critical.”
Williams was the only player unavailable due to concussion protocol after hitting his head against an elbow during a workout last week. The staff expects to have him back in a few days.
Wade feels like the program is in a great spot, the minor concussion notwithstanding, with six weeks to go until opening night. He fully believes the Wolfpack can have a special season, and wants everyone to know it.
“A lot of coaches get up here and bad mouth their teams. We’re damn good,” Wade said. “We’ve got a good team. We’re going to play hard, we’re going to be fast and physical. We’re going to get after you on both ends. We’re going to be the aggressors on both ends. We’re gonna play for N.C. State, you know, and we’re gonna be consistent.”
This story was originally published September 22, 2025 at 6:33 PM with the headline "NC State men’s basketball begins practice, and Will Wade is confident as ever."
