What Boo Corrigan Said About NC State's Coaching Search

RALEIGH — While the aftershock of Will Wade's clumsy exit and return to LSU is still being felt, NC State must turn the page immediately and begin its second coaching search in 367 days. Athletic director Boo Corrigan firmly addressed how the NC State administration will go about the process in this go-around on Thursday, hours after Wade made his exit official.

LSU's courtship of its former coach happened early enough in the coaching carousel that NC State can still get back on its feet and move quickly before the transfer portal officially opens on April 7. The more important part of this year's search, at least according to Corrigan, will be finding a coach who believes in the Wolfpack community and culture and could commit for the long haul.

Moving forward quickly

Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade with forward Ven-Allen Lubin (22) in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The process in which Wade decided to leave NC State after just one season was a clumsy one that left the Wolfpack administration somewhat blindsided and with a feeling of, in Corrigan's own words, "disappointment." However, there's a learning element to this situation for the Pack, as it can now identify the exact type of coach it wants to run the program moving forward.

"I'm disappointed for our athletic department, I'm disappointed for our fans and I'm disappointed for our university that we're here today," Corrigan said. "That being said, as soon as we received notice of his resignation, the search began and we are committed to finding the next coach for our men's basketball program."

NC State basketbal — Jan 17, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack ball during the second half of the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Corrigan initially articulated his basic expectations for what NC State's next coach must encompass during his opening statement. The timing allows the Wolfpack to identify potential candidates who might still be participating in the NCAA Tournament in some capacity, but character seems to be a driving factor in this hiring process.

"Someone who wants to be at NC State, understands who we are, understands that we're a tough school, understands that we're a great academic institution and understands that our fan base has very high expectations and can embrace that," Corrigan said.

Is there a preference between assistant or sitting head coach?

Mar 29, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack athletic director Boo Corrigan before the semifinals of the South Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament against the Marquette Golden Eagles at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Losing an experienced head coach like Wade creates a significant void in leadership experience. Many Power Four schools have opted for rising assistants at power conference schools over the last few seasons (Think Jai Lucas at Miami) rather than veteran head coaches to get younger voices in place that might be in it for an extended period of time. Corrigan said the next coach of the Wolfpack doesn't have to be a currently sitting head coach.

"I don't think it has to be a sitting head coach at this point. I think, you know, we want to find someone that knows how to coach and is a great coach, and has the ability to connect with people, both internal and external, with the players," Corrigan said. "Be able to recruit. You have to be a good recruiter in this day and age."

The fact that Corrigan isn't zeroed in on a sitting head coach helps in the search process. It opens up opportunities for potential assistants like Tennessee's Justin Gainey, a former point guard for the Wolfpack, to potentially become the next face of NC State men's basketball. The NC State athletic director did subtly state his disappointment in the roster construction of Wade's first team.

"I think we saw this year maybe if some of our players were four inches taller, it could have been a little bit better," Corrigan said. "No shade on our players this year, but the importance of a rim protector has really become something more definitive in college basketball. We need to make sure that we have someone to come in here that knows how to build a roster, knows how to put the pieces together in the right way to have a very competitive team."

Transitional logistics

There will almost certainly be a massive exodus of NC State's players with eligibility remaining. Luckily, four of five starters on Wade's only Wolfpack team were seniors, which likely made it even easier for the coach to cut bait and move on to his next destination. Corrigan and his administration are making sure there are measures in place to keep the transition flowing smoothly.

"It's our training staff, our strength and conditioning staff. With all this happening today, I'm not sure, from a strength and conditioning standpoint, if that person is going to go with Coach Wade or not go with Coach Wade," Corrigan said. "... We did have meetings today with the head of strength and conditioning, with the head of our athletic training, as well as nutrition, to make sure that we have people in place to make sure that our students are taken care of."

Corrigan added that the school has yet to decide whether it will use a search firm or not in the hiring process for the next head coach. Considering many members of the administration just went through this a year ago, NC State is not currently planning on it, but that could change depending on how the process develops in the next few days.

In it for the future

Wade's exit stings for many reasons, but the false promise of being in for a long build of the Wolfpack program is one of the more glaring wounds left behind. The modern era of college basketball makes it difficult for most programs to secure a coach willing to stay for an extended period of time. Still, there are exceptions. Corrigan believes NC State can be one of those.

"I believe we're a school that someone can stay for 10 years and have an unbelievably great run here," he said. "So that's 100% what we're looking for. We don't want to be a stepping stone on the way to another job, and again, we thought we had that. In every conversation and everything that was out there, we believed that we had that. So we're going to go out and find someone again."