On Monday, Will Wade walked onto the court at the Dail Basketball Center just as warmups wrapped up, setting a steady clap that players and staff quickly echoed as they huddled to start practice. It was the first official workout of the 2025–26 season — with a revamped roster and coaching staff — yet nothing about the scene felt unfamiliar. The team moved with the ease of a group long accustomed to one another, running drills with midseason sharpness and operating within a clearly defined system. Wade has emphasized building a program rooted in hard work, and from 45 minutes of open practice, that philosophy was already on display.
The energy inside the gym was unmistakable, with drills carried out at full speed and full purpose. North Carolina transfer Ven-Allen Lubin even went crashing to the floor during one sequence, skidding across the hardwood and leaving behind a streak of sweat that managers quickly moved in to mop up — a visible reminder of the effort being poured into practice. Coaches and teammates barked out both corrections and encouragement, stopping and re-running drills until every detail was executed right.
The “reckoning” Wade promised back in March has arrived. “People are gonna have to deal with this a lot sooner than they think,” Wade said Monday. “Our team’s a little bit better than I thought. We’ve got a damn good team. People are gonna have to deal with us real quick. When we’re aligned, when we’re one and moving in the same direction — better get the hell out of the way.”
Everything suggests N.C. State is built to contend this winter. Backed by NIL and revenue-sharing support, nearly 10,000 season tickets sold, and a roster stacked with elite talent, the program has momentum on and off the court. The addition of Gambian forward Musa Sagnia was made possible by close coordination between administrators and boosters, while Wade’s staff has a proven track record of developing winners. “I’ve got everything I need,” Wade said. “I ain’t complaining about nothing. It’s on us to deliver — on me to deliver — and we’re going to.”
Wade backed up his confidence with numbers. Instead of vague praise, the first-year head coach shared hard data from offseason training that highlighted the team’s growth. On average, players have trimmed body fat by 2% and added 7% more lean muscle. Each player is lifting about 30 pounds more on the bench press, and as a group they’re averaging 772-pound deadlifts — a 65% jump from earlier in the year.
Shooting efficiency has improved, too. Across 848 live 5-on-5 attempts, the team has hit 38% of its threes, three percentage points higher than expected when the roster was first assembled. Four players are connecting on 40% or better, including returner Paul McNeil, who’s knocking down 46% from deep. Ball security has also sharpened, with the squad posting a 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio. Guards Quadir Copeland, Tre Holloman and Darrion Williams are each above 2:1.
“I think we’re ahead of where I thought we would be at this point,” Wade said, recalling his June press conference when injuries limited participation. “We’re as healthy as we’ve been. We’ll be able to practice with 14 of our 15 players today, which is critical.” Williams, sidelined by a concussion sustained in a workout last week, is expected back within days.
With six weeks until opening night, Wade feels the program is in an ideal position. “A lot of coaches get up here and bad mouth their teams. We’re damn good,” he said. “We’ve got a good team. We’re going to play hard, fast, and physical. We’re going to be the aggressors on both ends, and we’re going to play for N.C. State. We’re going to be consistent.”
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