Will Wade tells reporters to stop disrespecting Darrion Williams and it gets heated.
Will Wade fires back at reporter while defending Darrion Williams originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
NC State coach Will Wade had a strong response after being asked about Darrion Williams' recent struggles. Williams, who transferred from Texas Tech and was one of the top players in the transfer portal last year, hasn’t been shooting well lately. In a Dec. 21 win over Ole Miss, Williams didn’t make a single shot after missing a game because of a shoulder injury. In Wednesday’s 70-57 win over Wake Forest, he scored eight points but only made 3 out of 12 shots.
When asked if he was worried about Williams’ recent play, Wade didn’t hold back. “I’m tired of hearing about Darrion,” Wade said. “He’s playing well. That’s a bad question. Let me be honest, he helps us win games. But everyone keeps complaining about him.”
Wade pointed out that Williams was a positive influence on the court even when he wasn’t scoring. “He was plus-13 against Ole Miss and didn’t make a shot, but everyone acts like it’s a disaster. He didn’t shoot well today either, but who had zero turnovers? Darrion. So people need to stop complaining about him. He’s a really good player, and the shots will start falling. I’m tired of answering questions about him. We’re lucky to have him.”
Will Wade goes OFF on a reporter asking about Darrion Williams:
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) December 31, 2025
“It’s a terrible question. He’s f***ing playing well. I’m tired of hearing about it. He affects winning. Everybody needs to shut the hell up about him!” 😳pic.twitter.com/SXmeZEfzIm
Williams has been performing at about the same level as last season, and in some areas, even better. His offensive rating is up, and he’s shooting 41% from three-point range, compared to 34% last year. He was a top player in the transfer portal after pulling out of the NBA draft and chose NC State over many other schools, some of which had better situations.
Wade also revealed that Williams is playing through a tough shoulder injury. He said many other players who earn as much as Williams would have sat out several games. Wade believes Williams’ impact on the team goes beyond what you see in the box score, and the criticism he’s been getting is unfair.
“I’m tired of people picking on this kid,” Wade said. “Yeah, he makes a lot of money for us, but other schools have paid as much or more. He’s not perfect, but he’s a really good player, and we’re lucky to have him. He chose us over a lot of better options. We should appreciate and support him. He helps us win even when he’s not making shots. Teams are now planning their defense around him, which makes things harder. He’s taking way too much unfair criticism. But he does a lot to help us win.”
More college basketball news:
Category: General Sports
