Will Wade one and done with NC State basketball, leaves Wolfpack for LSU reunion

Will Wade made a lot of promises a year ago, when N.C. State introduced him as its new head men’s basketball coach.

The Wolfpack would finish in the top half of the ACC, he said. The Pack would make the NCAA Tournament, and improve on last season’s results. He promised a model of consistency, stability and loyalty for years to come.

He checked the first three items off that list: A much-improved N.C. State team made the 2026 NCAA Tournament after finishing in the top half of the ACC, with a much better record than the previous season.

But consistency, stability and loyalty? Not so much.

One season after announcing a “red reckoning” had arrived in Raleigh and the ACC, 366 days after his arrival, Wade’s time with the Wolfpack is over. Wade confirmed at about 1 p.m. Thursday that he has resigned at N.C. State to take the head coaching job at Louisiana State.

“This was not an easy decision, because of how much respect and appreciation I have for this program and this university,” Wade wrote in a social media post. “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 on Thursday fired embattled head coach Matt McMahon, who was initially hired to succeed Wade as head coach at LSU in 2022, after Wade was fired “for cause” amid FBI and NCAA investigations.

McMahon was in the hot seat to begin the 2025-26 season after his failure to gain traction in the SEC. He never made the NCAA Tournament, nor did he finish better than seventh in the league. This season, LSU went 15-17, and 3-15 against conference opponents.

Will Wade’s LSU history, connections

Wade initially coached the Tigers from 2017 to 2022 before LSU fired him for cause after investigations by the FBI and NCAA proved he violated recruiting rules regarding player payments. The rules Wade was accused of violating no longer exist under the current NIL and revenue sharing structure.

After his termination, Wade took one year off from coaching before spending two seasons at McNeese State, where he led the Cowboys to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and Southland Conference Championships.

LSU is led by university president Wade Rousse, who previously worked at McNeese State. Athletic Director Verge Ausberry was on staff during Wade’s first stint with the Tigers, and Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports reported Wednesday that LSU was working to hire McNeese State athletic director Heath Schroyer as a senior administrator over men’s basketball. Schroyer and Rousse hired Wade at McNeese.

Will Wade’s short time at NC State

N.C. State hired Wade last year — his introductory press conference took place on March 25 — to replace Kevin Keatts. During his news conference, Wade thanked Schroyer and Rousse for giving him a second chance in the profession.

Wade signed a six-year, $17-million contract and earned $2.5 million in the first year. That amount does not include performance bonuses for games won or success in the ACC and NCAA Tournaments.

His buyout drops from $5 million to $3 million on April 1.

“From day one, everything that was promised to me and my staff was delivered — and then some,” Wade said in his statement. “From the operational support, to the quality of people in the building, to the resources and facilities — we were given every tool needed to compete at the highest level. That kind of commitment is rare, and it speaks volumes about the leadership and vision here at N.C. State.”

The Wolfpack finished 20-14 overall and 10-8 in ACC play under Wade after starting the season 18-6. The Pack went 2-8 down the stretch, and still had a chance to finish Top 4 in the ACC and earn a double-bye in the conference tournament. Instead, the Wolfpack went 0-4 in the last two weeks of the regular season.

N.C. State squeaked into the NCAA Tournament field and ended its season at the First Four in Dayton, Ohio, losing to Texas, 68-66.

Coaching questions surface

Rumors surrounding Wade’s future in Raleigh have swirled for the better part of March, stretching back to the ACC Tournament.

When asked about the LSU job at the ACC Tournament in Charlotte, he initially responded with a question: “Is the job open there?”

He went on to say he was excited about N.C. State and the future of the program.

“I was hired at N.C. State to do a job,” Wade said. “This wasn’t going to take one year. I’ve already met with our administration about next year and some of the changes that we need to make and some of the things that we need to do to put this program where it deserves long-term.”

He doubled down during and after the First Four, calling the 2025-26 roster the “worst team” it would have and “the floor of our program.”

Another transition

Wade said he began creating a plan earlier this year about how it could better improve its recruiting and transfer portal evaluations going forward. After losing to Texas in Dayton on March 17, Wade said the staff would immediately return to work upon its return to Raleigh.

“We’ve got changes we got to make up and down the program, so my eyes are wide open. I understand what we need to do,” Wade said at the time. “This is unacceptable, losing in Dayton. In some ways, we’re fortunate to make the tournament with this group, but we’ve got to do a much better job getting guys and making sure we get guys that fit us in the future, and make sure we’re not back in this spot.”

Wade added: “There’s no vacation, there’s no time off. We’re getting to work, and we’re going to get this thing turned around.”

Wade discussed his transition at N.C. State prior to the game, too. He said it takes time to settle into the rhythm at a school, and the staff had gotten into one with the Wolfpack. His wife, Lauren, is from Charlotte and attended the University of North Carolina, giving him family ties to the area.

“This (transition) at N.C. State has been pretty smooth,” Wade said on March 16. “For better or worse, I’ve done this five times now, so you get a little bit used to it. I’m tired of doing it, so we don’t want to do it anymore.”

But, the “chance to go home” was apparently too big of a lure to prevent Wade from another move.

“I’ll always be grateful for my time here,” Wade wrote in his statement, “the relationships we built, and the foundation we helped strengthen. N.C. State is positioned for continued success, and I’ll be cheering them on moving forward.”

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