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Will Wade on return to LSU: 'I'm trying to follow more rules this time'

Barkley-Truaxby: Barkley Truax03/27/26BarkleyTruax

Will Wade landed in Baton Rouge on Thursday evening after being named the next coach of LSU basketball. He’s already got jokes.

“They’re gonna kill me if I start answering questions. I’m trying to follow more rules this time,” Wade said as he was about to be driven away from the airport and away from the media on scene.

Wade is referencing his abrupt departure from LSU in 2022 after the men’s basketball program received a notice of allegations related to potential violations. He was fired for cause by LSU following allegations of him of committing multiple Level I and Level II violations by the NCAA.

These allegations were regarding paying recruits, which happened in the pre-NIL era. His actions are no longer a violation to NCAA policy as play for pay is the name of the game in the current landscape of college athletics.

However, in 2023 Wade was assessed a two-year show-cause order and forced to serve a 10-game suspension during his first year with McNeese State. Now, he’s back in Baton Rouge ready for another tenure as Tigers head coach.

He’s set to replace Matt McMahon, who took over at LSU following Wade’s departure from the program. However, the Tigers failed to make the NCAA Tournament in each of the years since Wade was ousted. Meanwhile, Wade has led both McNeese State and NC State to March Madness appearances since hed was forced out of Baton Rouge.

Wade will now look to turn LSU back into one of the stronger teams in the SEC in short order. The NCAA transfer portal opens on April 7 shortly after the national championship game, which Wade will likely be heavily involved in.

“LSU represents something bigger, it’s about competing at the highest level in the best conference in the country, in front of one of the most passionate fan bases in college basketball,” Wade said in a statement. “The resources, the commitment, and the alignment at LSU makes it a place where we can build something special and sustainable.”