Darrion Williams Stars as NC State Rolls Past NC Central

RALEIGH — NC State's star forward Darrion Williams started his day as most people do. He went to breakfast. Williams wasn't alone, however. He was joined by Wolfpack head coach Will Wade, the man who has hitched his wagon to Williams and banked on the Texas Tech transfer leading the Wolfpack back to its glory days.

"Me and him went to breakfast this morning, just me and him, just to make sure, 'Hey, look, you don't have to be Superman for us,'" Wade recalled after NC State's dominant win over NC Central. "But he was tonight."

Williams' Big Debut

You asked. We delivered. pic.twitter.com/iVOfcXKrl4
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) November 4, 2025

Donning the retro uniforms, Williams took the court for the Wolfpack and turned back the clock to a time NC State fans have long missed. A time when the five players in red and white looked like a team poised for great things. The forward was the reason why early in the game.

Wade explained that some of his players had some pregame jitters in the hours leading up to their debut. Williams showed no such feelings. He stormed out of the gate, scoring 11 of NC State's first 13 points. He drilled a pair of threes with tremendous confidence. The preseason ACC Player of the Year was off to the races.

Darrion williams — Mar 29, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Darrion Williams (5) reacts during the second half against the Florida Gators during the West Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Williams wasn't just a scorer for NC State either. A major part of the forward's game at Texas Tech was his ability to make plays as an old-school point forward, playing below the rim and dishing out assists for his teammates. He showed those skills early, threading the needle with a bounce pass to a cutting Ven-Allen Lubin for a dunk.

"I thought especially at the beginning of the game, he was able to get us going, and he makes the right play and gets other guys going," Wade said.

Ven shakin' the rim early. pic.twitter.com/npQkibOwk5
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) November 4, 2025

So much of Wade's praise about Williams was about his ability to set the tone offensively. After the game, the forward used some of Wade's messaging to explain just how he did what he did against the Eagles early in the game.

"I think my teammates did a great job of finding me. Coach told us a few days ago, somebody has to set the thermostat," Williams said. "Some weird saying, but we just wanted to come out there and get on them from the jump."

Williams only needed 24 minutes to adequately stuff the stat sheet against NC Central. He finished the game with 19 points, making seven of his 10 field goal attempts and four of his six 3-point attempts. He added eight assists, six of which came in the first half of the game. He also cleaned up on the glass, grabbing four rebounds over the Eagles.

His heroics only boosted the performances of his teammates. With loads of experience playing at a high level, the younger players see Williams as the Alpha of the Pack, just like Wade does.

"Having a guy like that in your team, it gives me confidence. It gives the team confidence to just play their best," freshman guard Matt Able said about Williams. "It opens it up for everyone else, including me, just to get open shots because they're so worried about him and what he can do."

Oct 8, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State head coach Will Wade answers questions from the media at The Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

The competition will get stiffer in the coming weeks as the Wolfpack's identity begins to take shape around Williams. While his teammates already love playing with him, there might not be anyone more thrilled to have Williams on board than Wade.

"He's great person," Wade said with a smile. "He's just a really, really good player and happy he's with the Pack."

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