Will One NC State Player Win the Wooden Award?

A veteran transfer piece could be in the running for college basketball's most coveted award.

Mar 24, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; The NC State Wolfpack mascot celebrates during the second half at James T. Valvano Arena at William Neal Reynolds. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

Darrion Williams quietly emerged as one of college basketball's most versatile wings during the 2024-25 season with Texas Tech.

Following his transfer to North Carolina State to play for coach Will Wade in the 2025-26 season, curiosity amongst analysts and fans alike was sparked and created a question: could Williams win the John R. Wooden Award?

Williams' decision

The forward seemed destined to play at the next level after an impressive showing in the 2025 NCAA Tournament with Texas Tech. Williams withdrew from the NBA Draft process in mid-May and instantly became the most coveted player in the transfer portal.

Williams ultimately chose the Wolfpack over Kansas and Ohio State, according to ESPN. Adding Williams was a coup for Wade, who began assembling a strong roster after making promises of a team ready to compete rather than a rebuild.

What needs to happen?

The veteran forward has the experience and pedigree to make a leap similar to the one Auburn forward Johni Broome made in the 2024-25 season for Bruce Pearl and the Tigers.

To jump into Wooden contention, Williams will likely need:

1. Further Statistical Growth

Particularly sharper 3‑point accuracy (he shot a career-low 34% from deep in 2024‑25). If Williams can improve his shooting, he'll easily bump his scoring totals to a higher number. He proved he can score at a high-level against elite competition, as he averaged over 20 points per game in the NCAA Tournament.

2. Outshine ACC Competition

Williams needs to outperform some of the other strong competition in the ACC. Some of these players include the Boozer twins at Duke, Dillon Hunter at Clemson and a handful of Louisville's elite talent.

3. Consistency

A big swing in the race between Broome and the ultimate winner, Duke's Cooper Flagg, was consistency. Broome went through a few stretches where he struggled with scoring and dealt with injuries, while Flagg was consistent to dominant for the entirety of the season.

As it currently stands, Purdue's Braden Smith is consensus favorite to win the award with Williams' former teammate, JT Toppin, following behind him.

If Williams leads a Wolfpack resurgence, the conversations about him being in the running for the Wooden Award will gain serious steam. Until then, all Wolfpack fans can do is speculate and hope.

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