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Will Wade’s stint as NC State basketball coach is officially over. The leader is set to return to Baton Rouge to coach a former school.
LSU is paying more than the Wolfpack could afford. Wade took the money. The son of the man he replaced in Raleigh took the moment to troll.
Speculation surrounding Wade’s exit had grown over the last few days. Despite previously expressing his desire to stay at NC State following an NCAA Tournament appearance, he’s out.
The news of an LSU hire was announced on Thursday. It confirmed the fears of the Wolfpack faithful.
Will Wade is a Tiger (again).
The head coach led the program from 2017-2022 before being fired amid a recruiting controversy. He will now move back to Louisiana.
In a statement to the NC State fanbase, he called it a return home.
— Will Wade (@CoachWadeNCSU) March 26, 2026
Familiarity with LSU certainly played a role in his decision. Familiarity with the administration did, too. The school has successfully hired leadership that brought Wade on at McNeese, where he coached from 2023-2025.
The deciding factor, however, appears to have been money.
College basketball insider Matt Norlander of CBS Sports discussed what transpired behind the scenes. Simply put, the Tigers could offer more than the Wolfpack.
3. State was around $9 million in NIL this past season. LSU is easily going to clear $10 million in roster-building resources for 2026-27, per sources. That, combined with State not being able to make up the difference in staff salary, is the primary catalyst for Wade’s exodus.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) March 26, 2026
Wade asked for staff raises to be increased at NC State after a meeting with LSU. That request was denied.
The Tigers will also be able to provide its head coach with higher pay and a larger NIL budget.
5. Am also told LSU is going to pay Wade north of $4 million to start on a seven-year deal. Keep in mind, he was a little more than above $2.5 million at NC State and just went 20-14 with a First Four exit.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) March 26, 2026
NC State couldn’t afford to keep Will Wade. He is headed back to LSU. The Wolfpack’s haters are piling on.
Kevin Keatts’ son trolled.
Keatts was the man replaced by Will Wade in 2025. The Wolfpack fired him after the 2024-25 campaign.
Keatts coached at NC State from 2017-2025. He led the program to three NCAA Tournaments and a Final Four appearance. It was not enough to keep him employed.
The team went 12-19 in his final season. He was shown the door soon after. Wade got the Wolfpack back on track with a trip to March Madness in his debut. His tenure, however, was short-lived.
KJ Keatts, who played on the team for three seasons, heard the news involving his former school. He wasted no time trolling NC State basketball.
https://t.co/QsKQP9z335 pic.twitter.com/fIL46QVPor
— KJ KEATTS (@kjkeatts) March 26, 2026
The loss is a tough one for the Wolfpack. The program appeared to be in an upward trajectory. Now, it will be forced to reset. The search for Wade’s replacement begins now.
As for LSU, it again outspent its counterparts in order to land its top target. Just as we saw in football, the school paid its current coach to stop working before outbidding rivals for the replacement.
Money is no issue in Louisiana. The Tigers hope Wade can replicate his success in Baton Rouge the second time around.