From Villain to Vital: How Quadir Copeland Became NC State’s Heartbeat
In college basketball, few things are remembered more vividly than the night an opposing player torches your team - especially when he talks trash while doing it. For NC State fans, that night came in 2023, when Syracuse guard Quadir Copeland lit up the Wolfpack not just with buckets, but with bravado. He wasn’t the star on the scouting report - that honor belonged to Chris Bell, who dropped 26 in the first half - but it was Copeland, a then-backup guard, who stole the spotlight and turned boos into fuel.
Copeland poured in a career-high 25 points that night, but it was his swagger that left a lasting impression. He jawed with the crowd, fed off the hostility, and walked out of Raleigh as Public Enemy No.
- For Wolfpack fans, it was a game to forget - but Copeland made sure they never would.
Now? He’s wearing red and white.
In a twist that feels straight out of a sports movie, Copeland made his way to NC State by way of McNeese State, where he reunited with former LSU head coach Will Wade. Their connection was strong enough that when Wade took the job in Raleigh, he brought Copeland with him - right back to the place where he once played the role of villain.
“He’s the kind of dude that you get mad at when you’re coaching against him,” said Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay. “But you want him on your team.”
And now that he is on their team, NC State fans have embraced him with open arms. That same fire that once irritated the home crowd? It’s now the spark igniting the Wolfpack.
“Just to see all the fans on my side, it was amazing,” Copeland said after an exhibition win over South Carolina. “Seeing all that red on my side … that shows the true definition of the Wolfpack.
Made me feel at home. I’m comfortable now.
It’s no more bad blood.”
Comfortable might be an understatement. With senior forward Darrion Williams struggling to find his rhythm - the same Williams who was expected to be NC State’s go-to guy this season - Copeland has stepped into the spotlight and taken control.
Over the last seven games, he’s been the Pack’s engine: averaging 16.5 points, nearly seven assists, and shooting a blistering 58% from the field and 55% from deep. That’s not just efficient - that’s elite.
Need proof? Look no further than Sunday’s game.
Williams went 0-for-8 from the field. Copeland?
He delivered 16 points, seven boards, and nine dimes on 75% shooting. The Wolfpack picked up their first Power Four win of the season, and they did it with Copeland leading the charge.
“We’d be in real trouble without him,” Wade said. “He’s been better and more than I could have ever thought when we brought him. Quite frankly, he’s playing a role that I didn’t envision when we brought him with us from McNeese.”
But Copeland’s impact isn’t limited to the offensive end. He’s become NC State’s defensive stopper, averaging 1.3 steals per game - the highest mark among players logging 20-plus minutes.
At 6-foot-6, he’s got the length and versatility to guard across positions, and he’s regularly tasked with shutting down the opponent’s top scoring threat. His presence forces opposing coaches to adjust their game plans - and that’s not something you often say about a guy who wasn’t even starting a year ago.
Still, what truly separates Copeland isn’t just the numbers. It’s the energy. Whether it’s a pregame speech, a defensive stand, or a sideline celebration, he brings a contagious intensity that lifts the entire locker room.
“[Copeland’s] energy is something you don’t get on a daily basis,” said sophomore guard Paul McNeil Jr. “But he brings it every day to practice. It doesn’t matter if it’s practice, shootaround, walkthrough - he’s always serious, always bringing energy and always keeping us focused.”
That edge he played with at Syracuse? It’s still there.
He’s still the same fiery, trash-talking competitor who dropped 25 on NC State’s home floor. The difference now?
He’s doing it for the Pack, not against them.
“I’m just a product of my environment,” Copeland said. “I just bring it to the court every time.
I try to pick up my teammates and get them with the same fire as me. Once we get rolling and we all together and we all on the same page, it’s hard to stop.”
Hard to stop - and even harder not to root for. Quadir Copeland may have entered Raleigh as a villain, but he’s quickly become the heartbeat of this Wolfpack team.