How Paul McNeil Benefits the Wolfpack Offense Without the Ball
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RALEIGH — Paul McNeil's primary job is to shoot 3-pointers as efficiently as possible for NC State. Sometimes, the Wolfpack's highly-capable sharpshooter must find other ways to impact the game, though, something head coach Will Wade believes can be the difference in the offense when his shots either aren't falling or he doesn't have the space to fire away.
The sophomore guard found the best of both worlds over the last nine games, shooting the ball very well, while also drawing attention to help open up the rest of the floor to the other key members of NC State's rotation.
The gravity of McNeil
Over the last nine games, McNeil averaged 17.3 points, shooting a blistering 47.6% from 3-point range. The improved consistency in getting shots off and knocking them down is a testament to the sophomore's commitment to his craft. It's also creating a greater urgency from opposing defenses to commit more pressure and attention to McNeil, leaving more room for a player like Quadir Copeland to operate.
"He creates gravity for your offense," Wade said. "That's why we're always better with Paul on the floor, because the defense has to account for him. Whether we're setting screens for him, running ghost screens for him, running plays for him, whatever it may be, you have to account for Paul at all times."
Paul McNeil - Spacing agent
— Brian Geisinger (@bgeis_bird) January 25, 2026
Quadir Copeland + Matt Able guard-guard pick-and-roll, McNeil is spaced to strong-side corner
Copeland drives➡️help defender doesn't want to come off P2 in the corner — double gap becomes triple gap
Copeland: 61 2P% with P2 on the floor (48 2P% off) https://t.co/BcDcZP3S0X pic.twitter.com/7A9Mg0SARN
The statistics are there to back Wade's point about the team being better with McNeil on the floor. Copeland's shooting numbers inside the 3-point arc are vastly improved with the shooting guard in the lineup to create space for Copeland to operate. According to Brian Geisinger of the Basket Review, Copeland is shooting 61% inside the arc with McNeil out there with him.
NC State's team leader in season-long plus/minus? Paul McNeil, by a landslide of 30 points. McNeil is plus-260 on the season, leading Copeland and Darrion Williams, despite a significantly lower usage rate of 18.7%. That lack of necessity for the ball makes him a devastating player for defenses because he simply makes them pay in limited opportunities.
No look, no problem 👀 pic.twitter.com/XsDaLqZ7EI
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) January 25, 2026
"Just being out there, he's a great weapon for us because the defense is accounting for him at all times," Wade said. "...That's a benefit to everybody else who is out there with him."
Should McNeil continue shooting the ball the way he has over the last nine games, NC State's offense has a chance to go from one of the better groups in the ACC to one of the most explosive offenses in the country.
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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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