Will Wade releases statement on decision to leave NC State for LSU
By David Wasson
Published:
Will Wade’s return to LSU is almost complete.
The embattled former Tigers coach says he is returning to Baton Rouge, releasing a statement Thursday afternoon thanking NC State for his tenure there while also referencing his LSU comeback.
“This was not an easy decision, because of how much respect and appreciation I have for this program and this university,” Wade said in his statement. “But the opportunity to return to Louisiana State University is deeply personal. It’s a chance to go home – to a place that means a great deal to me and my family.”
LSU is set to hire Wade and fire McMahon after four seasons and a 60-70 record. The Tigers were affected by injuries this season en route to a 15-17 overall record and a dead-last 3-15 SEC mark. In addition to paying McMahon’s reported $8 million buyout, LSU will have to dole out Wade’s reported $5 million buyout to NC State – a figure that would have dropped to $3 million after April 1.
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Wade’s LSU comes just over four years after LSU fired him on the eve of the NCAA Tournament and after the school received a notice of allegations from the NCAA detailing five Level I violations and a Level II violation involving Wade. Those allegations ultimately led to a 2-year show-cause order and a 10-game suspension in June 2023 for three Level I violations when Wade was found to have made impermissible payments to the former fiancée of a player, while also failing to cooperate in an investigation and failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance.
Wade was also suspended shortly before the 2019 NCAA Tournament after reports revealed that a federal wiretap captured him discussing a “strong-ass offer” for a recruit.
Wade coached the Tigers from 2018-22, taking the team to three NCAA Tournaments, winning the SEC regular-season title in 2019 and going 105-51 overall. Wade then coached two seasons at McNeese before taking over NC State in 2025-26.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
