Quadir Copeland’s Chaos Is Working Wonders for NC State

RALEIGH — No one knows what Will Wade expects from his team better than Quadir Copeland. The senior came over from McNeese State with the head coach hoping to be a part of something special at NC State just like they had at McNeese.

So far, Copeland's chaotic playing style has fit right in with Wade's Wolfpack roster. The senior excelled offensively during the first two games of the season and most recently finished tied for the most points on the roster in the win over UAB with 18.

However, the familiarity with his head coach also comes with higher standards. While his improved scoring output impressed Wade, there are other areas Copeland must improve.

Turnover Issues

PACK ROLLS IN THE 2ND HALF 🐺
NC State pulls away from UAB, 94–70 💪

🔹 Paul McNeil Jr.: 18 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, STL
🔹 Quadir Copeland: 18 PTS, 5 AST, REB, STL
🔹 Darrion Williams: 14 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST
🔹 Tre Holloman: 14 PTS, 5 AST@PackMensBball | @PackAthletics | #GoPack pic.twitter.com/5yxNQifvlO
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) November 8, 2025

Copeland's penchant for attacking downhill and making plays from the air rather than his feet can both help and hurt the Wolfpack offense. When at his best, he made tremendous passes from the paint after aggressive drives against the Blazers. At his worst, he tried to do too much and turned the ball over, much to the chagrin of his head coach.

"Our two point guards had seven of the 14 turnovers between Tre (Holloman) and (Copeland). That's unacceptable, they understand that," Wade said after the win. "I addressed that in the locker room and we've got to be cleaner with the ball."

Mar 22, 2025; Providence, RI, USA; McNeese State Cowboys head coach Will Wade during the second half of a second round men’s NCAA Tournament game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

With Wade at McNeese, Copeland averaged 2.8 turnovers per game, but made up for it with his defensive prowess and playmaking ability. While he wanted his guard to clean things up, Wade is willing to roll the dice with Copeland because of the energy he brings to the floor.

"Q throws it to both teams. I'd rather throw it to the team in the white jersey, but he throws it to both teams. But Q, at his core, would much rather get an assist than score," Wade said.

While he finished with four turnovers against the Blazers, he also tallied five assists and shared the wealth with his teammates.

Creating Chemistry

.@unoducat was DIALED in last night. 🎯

Moment of the game presented by @Lenovo pic.twitter.com/oQz3HizisG
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) November 8, 2025

At any given moment, Wade can put three veteran players on the floor who are all more than capable of running the offense. Each does it differently, with Copeland presenting the more improvisational option of the three. Holloman plays a traditional point guard role, while Darrion Williams can slow the game down to his pace whenever he wants.

"Just knowing when you look behind your shoulder, we got somebody that got our back... Makes everything easier, makes the flow easier. Makes the trust part easier as well," Copeland said.

That trust helped Copeland find some confidence in an area where he struggled last season. At McNeese, he shot 15.4% from 3-point range, taking less than one per game. UAB's tendency to drop into a 2-3 or 3-2 zone when it made shots put a premium on perimeter shot-making for the Wolfpack. Copeland wasn't afraid.

"They played the 3-2 and 2-3 when Quadir Copeland came in because his shooting numbers haven't been great. It's 3-of- 4 from three in these first two games, which is great," Wade said. "He's worked on it hard, and I'm proud of him for that."

With Copeland scoring at a much higher clip than he did at McNeese, the NC State offense is firing on all cylinders.

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