Will Wade Fires Back at NC State Fans at LSU Intro
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Will Wade confirmed what everyone already knew about him. During his introductory press conference at LSU on Monday, the new men's basketball coach of the Tigers was asked about the nature of his ugly exit after just one season at NC State. Wade looked to be taking the high road until he wasn't.
"I long ago quit worrying about my perception," Wade started. "... I'd like to focus more on what's going on at LSU. NC State was good to me. I think some of the things have been mischaracterized about how I left, but I learned long ago, I'm not going to get into a back-and-forth on all of that. The people who need to know know... I'm at peace with how I left... And, you know, look, I mean, they're pretty mad for a coach they didn't think was very good."
More nuggets from Wade's return to LSU
Video of Wade's comments about the nature of his ugly departure from NC State:pic.twitter.com/6P09NjoLMB
— Tucker Sennett (@SennettTucker) March 30, 2026
Thursday rocked the NC State community as news broke that Wade decided to leave the program to return to LSU, which fired him four years prior. After a hiatus from coaching for a year, he returned to McNeese State, where he met many of the people, including new LSU employee Heath Schroyer, who orchestrated his return to LSU. It was those individuals who made it happen, according to Wade.
"We have a familiarity with everybody ... There wasn't some formal interview process," Wade said. "We all know each other. We've all known each other for a long time... It pretty much kicked into gear Wednesday of last week and that was pretty much when first contact was made. Because of everybody's familiarity with each other, it moved pretty quick."
There was an inconsistency in Wade's storytelling when compared to what NC State athletic director Boo Corrigan said during his press conference on Thursday. Wade said things kicked into gear on Wednesday with LSU, while Corrigan claimed that the email including Wade's resignation letter arrived on Wednesday morning. LSU's new head coach did offer respect to Corrigan and NC State after the snide remark about the fan base.
"I wish NC State nothing but the best," Wade said. "I built some great relationships there. I've had a very good relationship with Boo Corrigan, the AD, and I understand they've hired Justin Gainey, a former player and I hope they do great and I wish them nothing but success."
While all of his discussion of NC State came from questions, Wade never mentioned the program he spent the last year with during his opening statement. However, he did use several nearly-identitcal statements from his introductory press conference at Reynolds Coliseum in March 2025.
"Our time is now with LSU basketball. ... I came here to win, and we're going to win immediately," Wade said. "LSU and Louisiana deserves a winner and that's what we're going to deliver and we're going to deliver that in short order."
Will Wade (re)introduced at LSU:
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 30, 2026
"We're gonna make history one way or the other. We're coming back to try to hang a banner and win a national championship, or I'm gonna be the first coach fired from the same school twice. One way or another, we're gonna make history!" 😂 pic.twitter.com/jZOZP9SObN
Wade said nearly the same thing at NC State before making promises of a "reckoning" for college basketball and the ACC. Neither thing came at NC State, as he eeked out a 20-win season before being lured back to the bayou.
While Wade has turned a page and moved on with the next chapter of his controversial coaching career, NC State fans remained outraged over the way things went down. His comments will only add fuel to those fires moving forward, even as Gainey tries to usher in a new era for the Wolfpack.
Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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