Will Wade stood on stage, receiving applause from Wolfpack supporters excited about his plan to restore a strong men’s basketball program and make it a consistent contender in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The feeling was mutual. Three years had passed since Wade was fired at LSU due to allegations of recruiting violations involving money, which were part of a federal corruption investigation into college basketball that also affected N.C. State, along with several other schools.
Now, he’s back in a power-conference role, but the college environment has changed significantly.
“I’d be lying if I told you I thought three years ago that I knew an opportunity like this would come again,” Wade said during his introductory press conference on Tuesday. “I did not, I did not. I’m thankful.”
Wade’s coaching abilities have never been in doubt. At 30, he became Chattanooga’s head coach and has since led teams at VCU, LSU, and McNeese to seven NCAA Tournament appearances in eight years.
However, his firing at LSU left him with baggage that made him a controversial figure. He spent a year out of coaching before serving a 10-game NCAA suspension at McNeese to begin his tenure there.
Two things stood out on Tuesday during his press conference. First, Wade remained confident, making bold promises about future success. Second, he showed humility and regret. He thanked McNeese for giving him a chance and promised to approach the job with passion but without the arrogance that had caused problems for him before. He assured N.C. State fans that they would “get the best version of me.”
‘I paid for it’
In a later interview with The Associated Press, Wade made it clear that he wouldn’t use the current changes in the sport as an excuse for his past actions. Even though payments connected to his LSU firing would be legal today, with college athletes now allowed to earn money from their name, image, and likeness, Wade did not see it that way.
“To me, that’s a cop-out,” Wade told the AP. “When I was doing that, it was illegal. Just because it’s legal now doesn’t mean it was the right thing to do then. And I think that’s how some people justify things, but that’s not the reality. It wasn’t right to do then and, you know, I paid for it.”
Wade had been under suspicion since 2019 when reports revealed leaked excerpts from an FBI wiretap, in which he was heard talking to a person convicted of funnelling illegal payments to recruits’ families. In the transcripts, Wade discussed making a “strong” offer to a third party representing then-LSU player Javonte Smart.
Wade mentioned during his press conference that dealing with the fallout from LSU forced him to have “some hard conversations” with himself. Wolfpack athletic director Boo Corrigan needed to hear about these reflections when he met with Wade in Houston during the hiring process.
“To hear him be repentant for what occurred, to hear him own what occurred, to hear him talk about what he’s learned,” Corrigan told the AP. “Think about it: how hard is it when you’re 35 years old, making millions of dollars, you’ve never lost, and everyone’s telling you how great you are? Imagine your ego gets bigger and bigger and bigger.
“I think it’s one of those things that he’s learned it’s not about him, it’s about what he does and everyone around him. He was just really, really good when we were there.”
Despite everything, Wade’s confidence in himself remains strong.
“You’ve still got to have the same confidence, but it’s not a cockiness or an arrogance to the sense of you’re never going to get caught or nothing’s ever going to happen,” Wade told. “That’s where the line is.”
Pushing the Pack
The Wolfpack announced Wade’s hiring on Sunday, just one day after his McNeese team lost to Purdue in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, following an upset win over Clemson in the first round.
The hiring wrapped up a smooth search for the Wolfpack and athletic director Corrigan, who brought in a coach that had strong support among N.C. State fans on social media. Fans even pointed out that Wade Avenue, fittingly named, runs right by the Wolfpack’s home arena in Raleigh.
Under Kevin Keatts, N.C. State made three NCAA Tournament appearances in eight seasons, and they were on track for another trip before the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Tournament.
Last year, Keatts led the team on a remarkable run, winning N.C. State’s first ACC Tournament title since 1987 and making it to the Final Four for the first time since Jim Valvano’s “Cardiac Pack” made their surprise 1983 NCAA title run.
However, this season ended with a disappointing 12-19 record, continuing a trend of the program struggling to maintain consistent success. N.C. State faces a tough challenge in the Triangle area of North Carolina, where they share the region with UNC and Duke, two powerhouse programs with a combined 13 NCAA championships, all within a half-hour’s drive from one another.
Wade is not intimidated by this challenge. During his news conference, he got the group of Wolfpack donors and supporters excited about his plans for the team.
“Everybody’s singing from the same sheet of music,” he said. “When that happens at N.C. State, there’s going to be a reckoning for the ACC, there’s going to be a reckoning for college basketball. And it’s coming. And it’s coming soon.”
He made it clear: “I want to be very clear: this is not a rebuild. We’re going to be in the top part of the ACC next year and we’re going to the NCAA Tournament.”
Supporters immediately erupted into applause and cheers. Wade seized the moment and added, “Make sure you got that on camera,” with a confident smile.
