Adam Howard Breaks Down NC State’s Offensive Identity

RALEIGH — With the week off, NC State men's basketball coach Will Wade hit the road and missed his regular Thursday appearance on "Wolfpack Weekly." The show continued without him, as his three lead assistants took his place on the show, with offensive coordinator Adam Howard taking the lead to discuss the team's success on that end of the floor in ACC play.

With host Matt Chazanow asking the questions, Howard provided some insight into how the dynamic of NC State's coaching staff works. He also helped explain what goes into getting some of the successful offensive performances from the team, such as the one the Pack executed in the 82-58 victory over No. 16 North Carolina on Tuesday.

What Howard had to say

Will Wade and Adam Howar — Feb 17, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade reacts during the first half against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Wade's lead core of assistants is made up of Howard, who takes the lead on offense, Vernon Hamilton and Brandon Chambers. That group makes up the inner circle for Wade as he navigates rebuilding NC State into a power in the ACC, with Chambers and Hamilton coming with Wade from McNeese.

"Everybody has a say in it," Howard said. "(Wade) is involved and has decisions on each component of the program. (Hamilton) has his hand in both the offensive side with player development and defensive stuff as well. We all work well together."

Ven-Allen Lubin, Quadir Copeland and Paul McNeil — Feb 7, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Quadir Copeland (11), forward Ven-Allen Lubin (22) and guard Paul McNeil (2) during the first half of the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Howard is a major cog in turning NC State into one of the premier ACC offenses and 3-point shooting teams. Following the win over UNC, the Wolfpack ranks fourth in the ACC in offensive efficiency rating, second in 3-point percentage (40.1%), and fourth in effective field goal percentage (55.0%). The shooting from beyond the arc distracts from what NC State is really trying to do, according to Howard.

"I think everybody kind of gets caught up in playing fast and shooting threes and for us, we just want to get the best quality shot that we can get," he said. "With the personnel that we have, it started with a lot of player movement and ball movement and then we kind of got into understanding who we have as a team and we've got to give these guys like Quadir Copeland a lot of freedom to be able to do what he does best."

Darrion Williams and Quadir Copeland — Feb 7, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Quadir Copeland (11) reacts with forward Darrion Williams (1) during the second half of the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

It took time for Howard and the rest of the staff to figure out what worked best offensively. Eventually, they landed on Copeland and Darrion Williams dominating the usage as a tandem with the other players running on "parallel tracks" alongside them. As that part of the offense became clarified, the strong shooting from the others started to push the Wolfpack's offensive ceiling higher.

"We are blessed to be able to have a very good shooting team," Howard said. "I think your ceiling as a team depends on how well you shoot the basketball. I've been part of some programs... At Nebraska, we were third in the Big 10... That's because we led the league in 3-point percentage and 3-point field goals made and I think your team just goes to another level when you can make shots."

Feb 7, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade reacts during the first half of the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Balancing Howard's 3-point focus with Wade's more traditional offensive approach has been tedious at times. It's led to Wade calling his team a "soft jump-shooting" group after losses, most recently when the Wolfpack collapsed against Miami late. However, when it all comes together, it makes the Pack very difficult to beat.

"Certainly, we have to blend with (Wade) is comfortable with too, in terms of being able to attack the paint and have some physicality and get to the free throw line and such," Howard said. "We're just always looking for the best quality shot."

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