Hollywood could not script a better debut for NC State men’s basketball coach Will Wade.

The new coach delivered everything Wolfpack fans have yearned for. NC State fans have begged and pleaded for a team that makes them feel like the center of college basketball.

The on-court performance against North Carolina Central lived up to all expectations as NC State cruised to a 114-66 win. The 114 points were the most in a game for NC State since 2017, when the Wolfpack scored 116 in a win over Jacksonville.

“We just want to go out there and win,” said senior forward Darrion Williams. “Coach holds us to a standard every day in practice that translates to the game.”

The debut delivered more than just winning basketball, though. It reinvigorated the program by getting all the small things right.

Before the opening tipoff, word spread quickly that NC State would wear its classic throwback uniforms, with just the word “STATE” across the front. The uniform may just be a small detail, but it shows Wade and the entire program takes great pride in NC State, its traditions and its storied history.

“Some guy that hits Reed [Vial] every day on Twitter since we’ve gotten the job about wearing these uniforms,” Wade said. “Hopefully he’ll stop hitting Reed now, whoever that guy is.”

The uniforms were just one small aspect of a series of moves to improve the gameday experience. Called basketball 365, the program made subtle, but important changes to maximize the entire Wolfpack basketball experience. Wade and several staff members, led by Wade’s special assistant Reed Vial, worked throughout the offseason to honor NC State’s lineage and enhance the fan experience. The group more than delivered.

“To have that sort of crowd on opening night was phenomenal,” Wade said. “It was the work of a lot of people… We try to focus on basketball and marketing basketball year-round.”

From the start, NC State embraced the night. Both Wade and the players brought passion and pride to their work — things that are becoming rare in a college basketball landscape that’s drifting from traditional school pride in favor of transactionalism. Up by 56 points with just over six minutes, Wade showed that he’s always fighting for NC State when he picked up a technical foul.

“He’s just always intense,” said freshman guard Matt Able. “It’s to bring the best out of us… We’re up however many [points] and he’s still fighting for us every single time.”

Wade’s passion doesn’t stop with himself; it flows down to his players, who’ve embraced his fire and care by matching it. Despite an almost entirely new roster, the players are already embracing each other. Whenever any player made a play, the entire Wolfpack squad rallied and celebrated their teammates’ accomplishments — most visibly seen when senior guard Quadir Copeland rallied around Able’s impressive debut. That mentality is growing increasingly rare in college basketball, yet it’s deeply rooted in NC State’s DNA.

“I shed some tears on the bench today,” Copeland said. “Just seeing [Able’s] growth and just seeing everything he’d been through. He’s been killing all summer, we knew the kid was good… just seeing him actually shine in front of my eyes, it was amazing.”

For NC State, this is the new normal. After years of playing second fiddle to its Tobacco Road rivals and settling for being mediocre, NC State is changing. The Wolfpack now runs a serious operation, intent on every aspect of the program being the best it can be, highlighting what makes Wolfpack fans love basketball. It starts with the on-court product, but flows into every aspect of game presentation, traditions and how Wade and his players carry themselves.

The Red Reckoning is in full effect.