Quadir Copeland spent most of his career playing the villain, now he’s living out his ‘Hero Arc’ at NC State

Copeland has been learning to be a high-level ACC PG on the fly, and it’s gone better than anyone could have expected.

Look, I know you’ve heard the story before. The story of Copeland being recruited as a wing at Syracuse, dropping down a level, and then reemerging as a PG at for NC State.

That’s a big transition for sure, but Q grew up playing PG, so he had some foundation to build on.

There is one area of growth, however, that nobody is talking about.

The growth of Quadir Copeland as a leader.

THEY MADE HIM THIS WAY

See, Quadir Copeland has always been an ‘underdog’ in a sense. Look at this skill set. It’s clear he has NBA-level speed, height, footwork, vision, and athleticism. Yet, he was still just a 3-star coming out of high school. And when he got to Syracuse, he didn’t even get a true look at PG under Hall of Fame head coach Jim Boeheim. He was relegated to the wing.

Copeland is no idiot. He knew he was being misused; he knew his talent was being wasted at Syracuse. That’s why he dropped down a level to McNeese State for his junior season. McNeese, then coached by our own Will Wade, was a school that would give him the shot at PG. The position he knew he had to master if he wanted to reach his full potential.

But it wasn’t just about mastering a position; it was conquering his demons along the way.

See, when you have a high level of belief in yourself, and it’s not being matched by those around you, say what you want, but it hurts.

It makes you realize that if you really want to get to where you believe you can go, you’re going to have to take that journey alone.

So Copeland did.

But to get to where he was going, he had to deflect all the noise. All the doubt. All the criticism from those who thought they knew better.

“He doesn’t have what it takes to be a college PG.”

“He’s too flashy.” “He can’t shoot.” “He’s too turnover-prone.” “Too hot-headed.”

The doubters can get loud, and if you let them in, they can do damage to your confidence and self-belief.

Copeland knew this. So he created a shell.

VILLAIN VIBES

It was Q vs. The World.

Instead of hiding from the hate. He invited it.

He used it for fuel.

His shell was impenetrable because if you weren’t a believer, you didn’t matter. You were just in the way.

And he just went about his business with a smile on his face.

But that type of persona, in the real world, it’s not welcome. It’s not understood. It gives off ‘villain vibes’ to the outsiders.

And Copeland, he didn’t have the time or energy to manicure his public perception. He was busy working.

TWO OF A KIND

I’ve said this a million times, but Wade and Q are the perfect marriage. Wade has some of that in him as well, so he can relate to Q, but at the same time, I believe he’s learned to harness his and polish it up for mainstream consumption.

This is what I believe, under the surface, he’s been teaching Copeland.

Teaching him to keep that fire, but harness it. Be able to use it, but don’t let them see it.

But it hasn’t been all roses with Wade and Q.

Last year, Wade sent him home from McNeese for a while. He’s called him hard-headed and stubborn in post game press conference, but that’s just part of the tough love Wade knows Copeland needs to reach his potential.

And he’s been showing signs of reaching it.

COPELAND’S HERO ARC

On a team that brought him in to be mostly a role player, he’s was becoming the star.

14 points, 7 assists, 2 steals, shooting 52% from the floor and 48% from 3 (he was leading the nation in 3pt% improvement year over year).

But against SMU on Tuesday night, Quadir Copeland officially arrived.

The years of work, the uphill climb over every doubter and every critic, last night he shut them up.

16 assists, zero turnovers, 10 rebounds, and most importantly, a WIN…in a room full of NBA scouts, on national TV.

Quadir Copeland is in the first chapter of his good guy era. This is the hero arc of his story.

And while he’s never going to be fully appreciated by basketball fans everywhere (opposing fans will still be annoyed by him), his doubters have no choice but to transition to haters.

And Copeland, a man used to being on his own, will be playing the rest of this season with a huge pack of wolves behind him, following him as their leader.