Will Wade seems thrilled with his time at NC State so far

Will Wade has been given a second shot at a big-time college basketball head coaching gig, and you get the sense that he's thrilled the NC State Wolfpack took a chance on him.

Wade, 43, has had an intriguing career, to say the least. It seemed to have reached its apex when he was hired by the LSU Tigers in 2017, but his rising star came crashing down in Baton Rouge.

In March of 2022, before the NCAA Tournament, LSU fired Wade for significant misconduct, especially as it related to Level 1 recruiting violations. We're talking about impermissible benefits and cash benefits to potential recruits, their families, and even people associated with them. The idea seems a little silly in 2026, when players are making millions through NIL deals, but it was a huge blow for Wade's career at the time.

He landed on his feet at McNeese State from 2023 to 2025 and he took the Cowboys to the NCAA Tournament twice. NC State then brought him back into the Power Four to replace the fired Kevin Keatts.

Wade is in his first season with the Wolfpack and as of this writing, they are 13-6 and fourth in the ACC.

As of this writing, Wade is still thrilled to be a part of things in Raleigh. He was asked on a recent radio show if he wanted to tie his legacy as a coach to NC State.

"This is the best job I've ever had, in terms of the support for basketball. We have everything we need. It's on us to win. I absolutely love it here," was his response.