Darrion Williams’ Shoulder Improving at Key Moment for NC State
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RALEIGH — NC State forward Darrion Williams experienced a production dip over the last six games that caused concern from those outside of the program. Head coach Will Wade and the coaching staff never shared that sentiment, even as the Wolfpack lost three of the six.
Prior to the Wolfpack's 85-45 win over Liberty, Wade revealed that Williams was dealing with a shoulder injury during that stretch. With No. 19 Kansas coming to the Lenovo Center for a massive showdown on Saturday, the Pack needs Williams at his best. According to his coach, the shoulder is "better" now. Given his history against the Jayhawks, that is not good news for KU head coach Bill Self.
A familiar foe
Williams spent two seasons with Texas Tech, a Big 12 rival for the Jayhawks. While he didn't face Kansas with extreme frequency, he became intimately familiar with the challenges Self's program poses. In his sophomore matchup against KU, he played a perfect game, shooting 12-for-12 from the field and scoring 30 points in a dominant home win. He followed that up with a 14-point performance in 2025.
The forward looked like he was pressing at times in Wednesday's win over the Flames, but his aggression was an improvement compared to the previous five games. His usage rate against UNC Asheville dipped all the way to 12.5%, a new season-low. It shot back up to 29.9% in the Liberty game, although he shot just 3-for-9, scoring nine points in the victory.
Q ➡️ DWill. pic.twitter.com/VMuleJGIzm
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) December 11, 2025
"We always want Darrion to be aggressive," Wade said Friday. "Last game, he didn't play all that much because we're trying to rest his shoulder a little bit to make sure we had him as healthy for (Kansas) as we could. The games before that, Asheville and Auburn, I think that the offense wasn't running how it needs to run."
When Williams signed on to be a part of the Wolfpack, he inherited the burden of being the team's star and showcase player. He never held that responsibility at Texas Tech, especially last year with the emergence of star forward JT Toppin. At times, Williams answered the call. In other moments, he's faded away, finding smaller ways to impact the game, hence Wade's calls for him to be more aggressive.
While his scoring performances slipped of late, his basketball I.Q. didn't. Wade found himself leaning on both Williams and Houston transfer Terrance Arceneaux throughout the week during the preparation for Kansas. The two Big 12 transfers know what Self will throw their way, especially Williams, given his earlier success.
"They trapped Darrion last year when he was at Tech, so we want to make sure we'd be aware of that," Wade said. "It helps a little bit just to have a sense of what they may do, what they're going to try to do against some of those guys."
Before the season began, Williams stated he would play in any role Wade asked him to. His coach told him he didn't need him to be Superman in an effort to relieve some of the pressure the forward was facing after being named the preseason ACC Player of the Year. What makes him unique, especially in Wade's eyes, is that he can find other ways to impact games, particularly with his distribution.
"We have the ultimate trust in Darrion. We want to put the ball in his hands because when you do that, he's going to make the right play most of the time," Wade said. "This season has shown that, his career has shown that whether that be scoring, assisting, a Gretzky or hockey assist... He's going to make the right play."
Ven shakin' the rim early. pic.twitter.com/npQkibOwk5
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) November 4, 2025
In that point-forward role, Williams takes pressure off of the other core members of NC State's starting lineup, especially guards Quadir Copeland and Tre Holloman. Kansas boasts a strong 3-point defense, holding opponents to 24.9% from beyond the arc. If the Jayhawks run the same strategy against Williams that they did last season, his passing will be critical in a potential upset.
The belief is there. The shoulder is healthy. Now, the ball is in Williams' court, both literally and figuratively, to prove to Wade, his teammates and the city of Raleigh, which remains behind him, right for placing their faith in him to lead the Wolfpack back to relevance.
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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