How Darrion Williams Played During the Wolfpack's Non-Conference Schedule

RALEIGH — Darrion Williams arrived in the City of Oaks carrying the burden of high expectations from a fan base starving for a winner. NC State, in large part because of the hiring of Will Wade, came into the 2025-26 seasons with aspirations of shaking up the college basketball world, with Williams at the center of those goals.

The Wolfpack's star forward looked the part of a centerpiece in a roster that would push for NCAA Tournament wins come March, but things took an unfortunate turn when the team headed to the Maui Invitational before Thanksgiving. How has Williams looked in his first two months in Raleigh?

Grading Williams' start with NC State

Dec 6, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack forward Darrion Williams (1) looks on before the first half of the game against UNC Asheville Bulldogs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

In the opening four games of the season, Williams was unstoppable when he needed to be. He averaged 23.3 points, highlighted by a dominant 32-point outing against UNC Greensboro. He made 61.9% of his 3-point attempts during that stretch and looked like the "Superman" Wade imagined when he enlisted Williams' services during the offseason.

Things changed when the opposition improved, though. Williams averaged just 12.7 points during the 1-2 run through the Maui Invitational. He was visibly ailing during that trip, as he suffered a shoulder injury at some point, which contributed to the struggles. Because of his desire to drive at his own pace and create contact with his body, a shoulder injury derailed his play style and sent his averages tumbling.

Darrion Williams looks right at home for @PackMensBball 👀

28 PTS
9-15 FG
7 REB
2 AST
1 STLpic.twitter.com/d8JYbejVoW
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) November 18, 2025

When he was with Texas Tech, Williams was never the top of the scouting report for opposing defenses. He found himself protected by JT Toppin, a star forward and the primary scorer for the Red Raiders. That changed when he landed with NC State, as he instantly became priority No. 1 for every opponent on the defensive end. However, Williams' clutch ability came out against Kansas.

When the Wolfpack hosted a ranked Jayhawks squad at the Lenovo Center, Williams started slowly against a team he torched while he was in the Big 12. In fact, after beating the Wolfpack and Williams, Kansas head coach Bill Self referred to Williams as a "KU Killer." He nearly pulled it off again, scoring 17 points, most of which came in the final minutes of regulation and overtime. He came up just short of a game-winning shot as the buzzer sounded.

The bottom line? NC State needs more out of Williams in the scoring column, but the rest of his production has been top of the line. The forward averaged 14.8 points, but also added 5.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game through the first two months. Wade will try to squeeze more out of a healthy Williams once ACC play gets underway.

The shoulder injury held the forward out against Texas Southern, and he returned with a one-point performance against Ole Miss, far and away his worst showing of the year. After being named the preseason ACC Player of the Year, the expectations remain sky-high for Williams. He'll have his chances throughout the league schedule to live up to them.

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