NC State investigating LSU’s hiring of Will Wade, per report
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Will Wade is nearly 3 months into his second stint as the LSU head basketball coach, but there’s still plenty of drama surrounding his exit from NC State. On Tuesday, WRAL revealed that NC State is investigating LSU for how Wade was hired as the Tigers’ new coach.
NC State is looking into whether Wade was “improperly persuaded,” according to Brian Murphy’s report.
Exclusive: NC State is investigating LSU over the departure of men's basketball coach Will Wade and has rebuffed LSU's request to release it from any legal claims and sign a settlement agreement, per docs obtained by @wral. https://t.co/IaEACpgVnO
— Brian Murphy (@murphsturph) June 9, 2026
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Per Murphy, NC State is refusing to release LSU from potential legal action involving the Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, a North Carolina law allowing damages and recovery of attorneys’ fees. NC State is looking into whether LSU acted improperly regarding Wade’s buyout fee.
The timing and circumstances of Coach Wade’s departure from Raleigh and his resignation, along with the LSU term sheet, and the eventual [buyout] payment of $4 million to NC State raise questions about LSU’s potential liability in this matter,” NC State General Counsel Allison B. Newhart wrote to LSU General Counsel Carlton Jones.
Wade announced his resignation from NC State on March 25 and was hired by LSU the next day. Wade agreed to pay a $4 million buyout. LSU wired a payment on May 8, per WRAL.
WRAL reports that Jones, the LSU General Counsel, sent a “mutual release and settlement agreement” to NC State’s general counsel stating that NC State “would release LSU from any potential claims or actions arising from prior contact with Wade, his contract with NC State, the termination of his contract with NC State, the payment of the buyout or any other matter.”
NC State formally declined.
NC State has not agreed — and does not agree now — to release LSU from any liability. Instead, NC State is investigating whether LSU improperly induced Coach Wade to breach his employment agreement, induced Coach Wade to terminate his employment agreement, and interfered with the timing of termination of the employment agreement to result in lower liquidation damages — all to NC State’s detriment.
The timing of Wade’s departure and its relation to the buyout is at the heart of the dispute. WRAL notes that Wade’s contract called for a $5 million buyout if he left NC State before April 1. The number dropped to $3 million after that date. Wade ultimately left before April 1, with the buyout negotiated to $4 million.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
