Evaluating Quadir Copeland's Performance During Non-Conference Schedule
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RALEIGH — After a grueling stretch through the non-conference schedule, NC State finally reached a break in the season before the start of the ACC schedule on New Year's Eve. The Wolfpack grinded its way to a somewhat disappointing 9-4 start, with head coach Will Wade walking away with the feeling that his team is slightly behind schedule before the conference gauntlet.
However, the non-conference slate allowed Wade and his staff to identify areas of strength in the rotations and areas of weakness. One of the largest surprises for NC State was the play of senior guard Quadir Copeland, who joined Wade and some of the other coaches when they came over from McNeese State, along with fellow guard Alyn Breed.
How Copeland outperformed expectations
Copeland began his college career at Syracuse, but never truly thrived with consistency in the role he was offered by the Orange. He moved over to McNeese with a returned Wade and found himself unlocked as an oversized point guard and primary distributor. In his lone season with the Cowboys, he averaged 9.2 points, 4.5 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals.
The fierce competitiveness and work ethic of Copeland made him a primary candidate to help spearhead Wade's next chapter in Raleigh. However, with Tre Holloman also joining the NC State program along with five-star freshman Matt Able, there were questions about just how significant Copeland's role with the Wolfpack would be. Even Wade has been surprised after 13 games.
Through those opening 13 games, Copeland averaged a career-best 14.1 points, 5.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds while also adding over a steal per game. Making the start even more impressive is Copeland's efficiency, as he is shooting 59.4% from the field and 54.2% from 3-point range while taking the most shots from beyond the arc in his entire career from a per-game standpoint. For reference, Copeland is 13-for-24 from downtown in a Wolfpack uniform and made just four 3-pointers the entire season with McNeese.
"He's been better and more than I could have ever thought when we brought him," Wade said after the team's win over Ole Miss. "Quite frankly, he's playing a role that I didn't envision when we brought him with us from McNeese and you could argue that's part of the reason we've struggled, because he's playing a huge role, but that wasn't what I envisioned. But, give him credit."
While Wade is thrilled with Copeland's performance as the de facto bus driver for the Wolfpack through the first two months of the season, he is also the guard's harshest critic. Copeland can get out of control with his all-out attacking mindset, forcing him to commit unnecessary fouls or give away the ball in crucial moments. Despite playing one of his best games against Kansas, Copeland finished with six turnovers.
At times, Copeland's heavy usage causes rotations to be disjointed for the Wolfpack. According to KenPom, the veteran guard is the lone member of the Wolfpack considered to be a major contributor, meaning he is used in 24 to 28% of NC State's possessions each game. That can be problematic, particularly when Wade wants to get star forward Darrion Williams going.
Those issues have more to do with Copeland's pace than anything else. In his heart, he is a distributor who wants to get the best possible looks for the other members of the Wolfpack. His ability to start and stop on drives, combined with his size at 6-foot-6, makes him one of the toughest assignments for opposing teams out of any player on the Wolfpack.
"I feel like that's what the guys try to do, just try to make the game easier for me, letting me be a big point guard," Copeland said. "It's made my game skyrocket. Without them... the things I can do wouldn't be happening."
UN🙆♂️ pic.twitter.com/agfnUcfAfu
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) December 22, 2025
Without Copeland, NC State would be far behind where it currently is. While some of the offensive numbers, particularly shooting the basketball, might dip as the season progresses, Copeland's intangibles and effort level make him critical to the Wolfpack's future success throughout the 2025-26 campaign.
Wade and his staff will have to hope those numbers don't slip too much, while the production of others continues to improve in ACC play.
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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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