The Shift in Will Wade’s NC State Future

There was a sense of confidence amongst LSU fans over a potential return for Wade to Baton Rouge for weeks, even when he seemingly shut down the rumors at the ACC Tournament in Charlotte. Still, the Tiger community remained adamant that there was a chance Wade could leave Raleigh after just a year at the helm.

The latest reporting from a variety of sources, including Matt Moscona, indicated that Wade met with NC State officials about the potential offer from LSU and all of the rumors on Wednesday. That was the latest information to come out about Wade's whereabouts and what he might be thinking at this time. If there's one constant with Wade, it's that he's consistently unpredictable.

The primary reason for concern on the NC State front is LSU's recent chess move. The Tigers seem set on hiring McNeese athletic director Heath Schroyer, Wade's former boss and someone he considers a good friend, as a new member of the athletic department that underwent massive changes during the fall when Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry inserted himself in athletic affairs at LSU.

Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports reported that the hiring of Schroyer would only sweeten the potential pot for Wade, potentially luring the coach back to LSU. However, there are still other hurdles to overcome for both NC State and LSU.

The first hurdle is one for the Tigers. Head coach Matt McMahon hasn't been fired or resigned as of Wednesday afternoon. All the way back at the ACC Tournament, Wade opened up his statement by asking if the job opened up before making his promise to "win big at NC State." At the time, it seemed like a snarky retort to a question he wasn't interested in about a job he never appeared interested in. Obviously, a lot has changed and LSU is far from married to McMahon based on recent events.

There are issues with Wade's buyout as well. Should Wade leave before April 1, he'd owe NC State $5 million, according to reports about the structure of his contract signed in March 2025. If Wade and LSU are patient, however, he would be on the hook for $3 million at any point between April 2, 2026, and April 1, 2027.

Where do things stand?

Trying to predict the next twist or turn this might take is a futile exercise at this point. On Monday, at the time of writing a column published by NC State On SI, it seemed as though Wade was in the best possible place for him. A strong push from LSU seems to have changed that over the course of a few hours.

The only one who truly knows what's going on is seemingly Wade, who has both LSU and NC State on their heels, awaiting a decision on which basketball program he will be leading in the 2026-27 season. With the transfer portal opening on April 7, it's critical for both schools that a decision comes fast, so both can pivot to the next step in preparing for the coming season.