Sports

North Carolina State Hooper Plans To Avenge Teammates Discarded By Hubert Davis

#College Basketball
by
Hubert Davis / Darrion Williams

© William Howard-Imagn Images / © Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images


North Carolina State basketball player Darrion Williams does not like the Tar Heels. More specifically, he abhors head coach Hubert Davis.

Despite having yet to play for the Wolfpack as a college player, he holds a strong disdain for the program’s biggest rival. That hatred is personal and is directly linked to teammates he believes were wronged by Davis.

NC State going through a transition on the hardwood. Excitement surrounds the team with head coach Will Wade set to start Year 1 of his tenure.

Wade quickly brought incredible talent to Raleigh in his first offseason. His most recent recruiting class was headlined by Williams.

Darrion Williams transferred to the North Carolina State basketball team.

The forward previously suited up for Nevada and Texas Tech, where he averaged double digit scoring totals while helping the Red Raiders reach the Elite Eight last season.

Williams was considered a five-star prospect before transferring to NC State. He was part of a recruiting class that ranked 14th in the nation.

Williams will land an immediate role in the Wolfpack lineup as a senior. He will have extra motivation when facing off against the Tar Heels.

Hubert Davis discarded Williams’ teammates.

Those players are current North Carolina State basketball player Ven-Allen Lubin and former Texas Tech hooper Kerwin Walton.

Both played for Davis at UNC. Both transferred out of the program after feeling under-appreciated.

Lubin’s recent transfer was highly publicized. Will Wade snatched him from the portal following his 2024 campaign.

Lubin was once considered a four-star talent. He was cast aside by the Tar Heels.

The forward, who averaged 12.3 points and 28.2 minutes per game the previous year at Vanderbilt, saw playing time dip significantly in Chapel Hill. Wade questioned Davis’s basketball IQ upon receiving Lubin’s commitment.

“The other school was too dumb to play him.”

-Will Wade

Walton had a similar experience at North Carolina. He was a member of Roy Williams’ last team, starting 20 games and leading the team in made three-pointers.

He started just one game after Hubert Davis took over.

Walton was relegated to bench duty with Davis citing defensive concerns. He transferred to Texas Tech at season’s end to link up with Darrion Williams.

Williams hasn’t forgotten how his teammates were discarded by the North Carolina staff. He’s carrying those thoughts with him as he gears up for his first season in Raleigh.

The North Carolina State basketball team will host the Tar Heels in February.