Inside how NC State’s Quadir Copeland tweaked his 3-point shot to become most-improved in nation

Syracuse coach Adrian “Red” Autry was quick to point it out. He’d spent two seasons with Quadir Copeland in Upstate New York, first as one of Jim Boeheim's top assistants before taking over for the storied coach ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, and the improvement he saw from the shifty playmaking wing was stark.  Copeland could knock down 3-pointers at a consistent clip. At Syracuse, outside shooting was an up-and-down roller coaster for Copeland. He turned in a 22.6 percent clip from the perimeter in his two seasons with the Orange, while his ability to drive to the rim with his acrobatic finishes were what set Copeland apart.  But as Autry prepared to play his former player for the first time this past Tuesday night at the Lenovo Center against NC State, Copeland presented to be a tougher challenge to defend than he’d been before. Yes, he’s the Pack’s top point guard with a knack for spreading the ball around to his teammates, but his proven production from beyond the 3-point line made him an all-around player.  Copeland went from a player that had made 16 total 3-pointers in the first 87 games of his career between Syracuse and McNeese, where he was last season, to having nailed 20 in as many games at NC State. And that required more attention from the Orange’s guards on the defensive end.  “That’s the improvement that he’s made to make himself — really, you have to guard him and close out now,” Autry said in Monday’s ACC coaches Zoom call. “Still, his strength is putting pressure on the rim, finishing plays and getting other people involved. That’s what he loves to do. That’s his gift. He has the gift to make people around him better, but with him being able to make the 3-point shot, it makes him more of a difficult cover.” Although Copeland didn’t attempt a 3-pointer against his former squad, which ran him off the line most times the Wolfpack looked to whip the ball to him on a catch-and-shoot opportunity, he still torched Syracuse with 19 points in an 88-68 win over the Orange.  Now, Copeland is a complete player. He makes teams give their undivided attention to him, making sure he doesn’t have space to set his feet from beyond the arc — a major difference from the squads that dared him to become a volume 3-point shooter in the past three seasons.  What changed? How did Copeland, a player with a career 20.5 percent mark from 3-point distance entering this season become the most-improved deep shooter in all of Division I at an elite 47.6 percent in a Wolfpack uniform after turning in just a 4-of-25 mark a year ago? A week in Arizona over the summer helped unlock the best version of himself. And in turn, a nation’s-best 31.6-point jump in his 3-point percentage (min. 500 minutes played with at least 25 3-point attempts in 2024-25 and 25-26 seasons), according to CBB Analytics, has followed.