NC State head coach Will Wade is determined to lead the Wolfpack back to the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference and secure another opportunity to compete in the NCAA Tournament, following a disappointing season in which the team finished with a record of 12-19 (5-15 in the ACC).
Wade signed a six-year contract during the offseason, with an annual salary starting at $2.5 million in his first year and increasing by $150,000 each subsequent year. Known for his focus on defense, he often implements ball pressure strategies, encouraging players to press their opponents to limit easy shots in the paint.
The 42-year-old’s coaching style is not solely based on high-pressure defense; he also utilizes a 2-3 zone defense, which perplexed the Clemson Tigers during the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
However, his players are experiencing issues with his aggressive defensive approach, as some players struggle to execute his patented pressure defense. Due to this, Wade issued an ultimatum to his team days before it opened the season against NC Central.
What Was The Ultimatum Issued By Will Wade To His Players?
In a media availability session days before its season opener on Saturday, NC State coach Will Wade expressed disappointment to his players, who have failed to absorb the team’s defensive scheme in an exhibition game against South Carolina on Oct. 26.
“We got beat on the back end of the press, but it started on the front end of the press. We had terrible ball pressure,” Wade said. “We let ’em bring the ball up the middle of the court. like we had some, it started on the front end of the press, and then what you see is the end result, and it looks terrible.”
Due to this, the Wolfpack coach threatened to bench his players who wanted to be subbed out, apparently due to fatigue of executing the patented high-pressure scheme he employs.
“I told some of them like you’re either going to get this fixed or you’re just going to sit like I don’t have time you know I’m done playing around,” he pointed out. “I’ve had time in two scrimmages to kind of see what you can do and everybody says you know just put me in and I’ll show you what I can do.”
“It’s your decision. I really don’t care. We got other guys that can come in and help us,” he added.
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NC State had a great transfer haul during the offseason, acquiring marquee players Texas Tech forward Darrion Williams, North Carolina forward Ven-Allen Lubin, McNeese guards Ajay Breed and Quade Copeland, and Houston guard Terrance Arceneaux.
The team also secured four-star recruits Matt Able and Zymicah Wilkins and international players Jayme Kontuniemi and Musa Sagnia, who will play as freshmen for the Wolfpack in the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season.
NC State, who wants to bounce back from a horrible 2024-25 season, opens its campaign against NC Central on Monday at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.