Inside the complicated offseason -- and history -- of Will Wade and LSU

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  Myron MedcalfNov 3, 2026, 07:00 AM ET

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  • Covers college basketball
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2011
  • Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato

IT MUST HAVE been some strong-ass fog.

The jokes and conspiracy theories started flying around social media soon after SEC associate commissioner for men's basketball Garth Glissman announced at SEC media days last month that Will Wade and the LSU Tigers would not be attending because of fog at the Baton Rouge airport.

Most years, storied coaches such as John Calipari, Mark Pope and Todd Golden plugging their championship chances would have been the main event at the SEC's annual gathering ahead of the basketball season. This year, Wade -- and his unconventional roster-- was the belle of the ball.

But he couldn't get off a runway in Louisiana.

That would seem a legitimate reason to miss the event attended by every other men's and women's coach in the league, if it involved anyone other than Wade. But because controversy always seems to follow the 43-year-old Wade, internet conspiracy theorists immediately began questioning the validity of the weather concerns, even as local meteorologists confirmed them.

Wade is back at LSU years after he was fired in 2022 in part because a federal wiretap caught him arranging a "strong-ass offer" for a recruit. In his second stint, he's still testing the boundaries of recruiting, bringing in international talents, fifth-year standouts who need a judge's approval to play and nontraditional players such as former St. John's star, RJ Luis, who signed two-way contracts with the Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics after going unselected in the 2025 NBA draft.

The latter signing is attached to a federal lawsuit the SEC has filed against LSU. Commissioner Greg Sankey said during SEC media days that he was "concerned" about the conference's relationship with LSU after the league threatened to oust the founding member due to head football coach Lane Kiffin and Wade's pursuit of players with professional experience in that federal lawsuit.

"I keep conversations to myself, most frequently," Sankey said last month, when asked if he'd talked to Wade about his roster.

The NCAA and SEC have drawn a line in the sand, and Wade is doing what he has been known to do -- threatening to cross it.

Four years ago, Wade was out of a job, wondering if he would ever get another opportunity in coaching after LSU fired him. He moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he was a consultant for NBA teams and a basketball fan like anyone else.

"I was in Chattanooga and it was one of the Saturdays that I didn't go to a game for the NBA stuff, and we walked from our house down to this Mexican restaurant that my wife and daughter loved," Wade told ESPN last summer. "It was like 1:30 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon, and we walked in and there were games on and people were talking."

That was a surreal moment, a reminder of how far he'd gotten from the game. Now that he's back at LSU after stints at McNeese and NC State, all eyes are on him again.

In a way, the airport kerfuffle was a fitting metaphor for Wade's second chance on LSU's campus. On the first day of the Tigers' 2026-27 campaign, the storm around most of the roster seems to have calmed in time for takeoff, but for its most controversial piece, the fog is still thick.

March 12, 2022: LSU fires Wade after he is accused by the NCAA of committing five Level 1 violations, including the arrangement of payments to "at least" 11 players or their associates. Wade had led LSU to the regular-season championship in 2019, but he'd been suspended for both the SEC and NCAA tournaments after the wiretap scandal. Documents obtained by ESPN reveal NCAA enforcement staff has been notified of Wade's offer to give the former fiancée of a player cash to stay quiet about payments to players, years before name, image and likeness rules were instituted. The NCAA also received information that former assistant Bill Armstrong arranged an offer of $300,000, in installments of $50,000, to another recruit. The school decides the Wade era should end.

"We can no longer subject our University, Department of Athletics, and -- most importantly -- our student-athletes, to this taxing and already-lengthy process without taking action," university president William F. Tate and athletic director Scott Woodward write in an open letter. "Our responsibility to protect and promote the integrity and well-being of our entire institution and our student-athletes will always be paramount."

March 12, 2023: Exactly a year after Wade is fired from LSU, he's hired by McNeese in Lake Charles, Louisiana, 129 miles from LSU's campus. It's revealed two days later in documents obtained by KPLC in Louisiana that Wade's new contract at McNeese includes a five-game suspension to start the season. He is also banned from recruiting on the summer grassroots circuit during live periods in April and July, among other recruiting restrictions. The contract is McNeese's attempt to mitigate the NCAA's pending penalty for Wade's actions at LSU, but on June 23, the NCAA suspends Wade 10 games and gives him a two-year show-cause penalty. The Independent Accountability Resolution Process announces even more extensive recruiting restrictions and gives the NCAA substantial oversight of the program.

March 21, 2024: Wade leads McNeese to its first NCAA tournament berth in 22 years and the third appearance in school history. The Cowboys fall to No. 5 seed Gonzaga 86-65.

March 19, 2025: The day before the Cowboys are set to take on Clemson in the first round of the 2025 NCAA tournament, ESPN reports that Wade has reached an agreement to become NC State's next head coach. Wade doesn't confirm the news but acknowledges he has contact with the Wolfpack.

"There's no need to hide it," Wade says. "The guys are reading it on social media. It's no secret and I'm not going to ask them to do something I'm not willing to do. It's no good if you don't address it, and if you sit there and B.S. 'em, they know. They can read right through the B.S., so you might as well just [say] 'This is what it is.'"

The team beats Clemson, a 5-seed, the next day, marking the first NCAA tournament win in school history. McNeese goes on to lose to Purdue in the second round, and NC State announces the next day that it has hired Wade.

March 12, 2026: Equipped with new NIL rules and legal payments for players, Wade assembles a team at NC State that includes former Texas Tech star Darrion Williams and Michigan State transfer Tre Holloman. After his team's loss to Virginia in the ACC tournament, Wade dismisses rumors that he's preparing to return to LSU.

"Is the job open there? No?" Wade says. "Listen, let me be very clear: I'm excited at NC State. I was hired at NC State to do a job. This wasn't going to take one year. I've already met with our administration about next year and some of the changes that we need to make and some of the things that we need to do to put this program where it deserves long term."

March 17, 2026: NC State, an 11-seed, loses to Texas in the First Four.

March 26, 2026: News breaks that Wade will become the next coach of the LSU Tigers ... before they have officially fired Matt McMahon. NC State athletic director Boo Corrigan says he will "commiserate with [fans] in terms of feeling lied to" and that Wade's resignation came via an email from his agent.

Wade announces on X later that day that he has accepted the LSU job. In his statement, he praises NC State for providing the resources and support to win but adds that his return to LSU is "a chance to go home." Wade has maintained deep ties in Louisiana, all the way up to Governor Jeff Landry and including with LSU president Wade Rousse and senior deputy athletic director Heath Schroyer, both of whom hired Wade to McNeese while they were with the Cowboys.

"As LSU fans know well, Will is a consistent winner, a diligent program-builder, and a charismatic leader with an incredible ability to connect with his student-athletes and the fan base," LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry says in a statement announcing the hiring.

March 30, 2026: At his re-introductory news conference, Wade promises that "we're going to build this thing quick" through the transfer portal, which is set to open in the days ahead.

"Listen, everybody has this notion, like, LSU basketball is not meant to be average, mediocre or pretty good. You can throw that stuff out," Wade says. "That's not who we are. This program's meant to be great. This program's meant to compete at the highest levels of college basketball, night in and night out. As we say down here, it just means more. That highly competitive winning program, I know what that program looks like. I've seen it. I lived it. I know how to build it the right way."

April 20, 2026: Mo Dioubate, a 6-foot-8 forward who averaged 8.8 points and 5.5 rebounds at Kentucky last season, becomes the first official recruit of Wade's second run at LSU.

May 6, 2026: Marcio Santos, a 6-9, 23-year-old European center who averaged 6.9 points per game and made 40% of his 3-point attempts for Maccabi Tel Aviv, an Israeli Premier League basketball team, reportedly commits to LSU. The international target will need NCAA clearance to play amid new rules that scrutinize the amount of money players in Europe have made before playing collegiately. Plus, new five-for-five rules dictate that the window to play college basketball starts for every athlete with full-time enrollment or the semester after their 19th birthday.

May 19, 2026: AP second team All-American and 2025 Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis commits to LSU despite signing multiple two-way deals with NBA teams. He has never appeared in an NBA game, but the NCAA had previously ruled that a player who'd signed an NBA contract was ineligible. This is not a fifth-year case but one that challenges the NCAA's definition of a professional player.

May 20, 2026: Saliou Niang, a European forward who was the 58th pick in the 2025 NBA draft, and Michael Ruzic, a 7-footer from Croatia who plays professionally in Spain, announce their commitments to LSU.

May 21, 2026: Brice Dessert, a 6-11 center in the Turkish professional league who went undrafted in the 2025 NBA draft, commits to LSU.

June 11, 2026: LSU announces that Abdi Bashir Jr., a 6-7 junior who averaged 13.1 points for Kansas State last season, is "officially" on campus.

July 12, 2026: Yam Madar, an Israeli point guard who was one of LSU's top targets, reportedly signs a three-year deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv because of concerns about NCAA eligibility rules for international prospects.

August 12, 2026: Former UCLA guard Skyy Clark, who averaged 11.5 points and connected on 43% from beyond the arc, announces that he's transferring to LSU. He's counting on a Colorado court ruling -- or a California case -- to clear the way for him to play a fifth season. It's becoming clear that Wade's plan to rebuild LSU involves the pursuit of fifth-year players and international targets who will need legal or NCAA clearance to get onto the court, a risky maneuver.

Aug. 21, 2026: Donovan Dent, the former Mountain West Player of the Year who averaged 13.3 points and 7.6 assists at UCLA, announces his commitment to LSU. Dent has been cleared by a California court case to play a fifth year. Although Wade promised to assemble "quick," entering the fifth-year and international waters to build his program has not been a swift process. At this point, the official LSU roster on the team's website shows just four signed players.

Aug. 21, 2026: The NCAA successfully blocks a federal court ruling in Colorado that had granted a blanket waiver to all Class of 2022 players seeking to a fifth year of eligibility after they were not grandfathered into the NCAA's new five-for-five rules that were introduced in June and give a five-year window to every collegiate athlete moving forward.

Aug. 24, 2026: Luis secures a preliminary injunction to play for LSU, despite signing multiple NBA contracts and going undrafted in the 2025 NBA draft. The ruling by Baton Rouge Parish District Court Judge Ronald R. Johnson opens the door for Luis to suit up for the Tigers this season.

Wade hugs Luis outside the courtroom in celebration of the ruling.

"I understand Mr. Luis is disappointed that he was not drafted and did not play in the NBA as much as he would have liked," NCAA attorney Taylor Askew says. "Actions have consequences. Decisions have outcomes and they're not always the right ones or the ones that you want."

An attorney for Luis counters: "The NCAA chose to allow schools to start paying players directly. It made that choice. It could've fought that but it chose not to, and so when you create the NCAA now as a professional league and then you start drawing these arbitrary distinctions and saying, 'This is too much or that's too much,' all of these things, every time someone challenges an arbitrary decision of the NCAA, the NCAA cries wolf."

Aug. 25, 2026: In response to the Luis decision, the SEC joins the Big Ten in "prohibiting anyone who has previously declared for professional basketball from rejoining college athletics without appropriately withdrawing." It also cites players who have signed with a pro team or an affiliate or been listed on a pro team's roster. The move seems to impact, among other athletes, three key LSU commits, Luis, Dessert and Niang.

Aug. 25, 2026: Gilad Levy, a 7-3 center who plays professionally in Israel -- and another international prospect who will need NCAA clearance -- announces his commitment to LSU.

Sept. 8, 2026: The SEC files a federal lawsuit against LSU and threatens to vote LSU out of the league after Kiffin announced he planned to play two players who'd been on NFL training camp rosters, despite league rules banning their inclusion.

Sept. 29, 2026: Santos, previously connected to LSU's roster, returns to Europe after signing a multiyear deal with Kosner Baskonia in Spain. LSU's official website still only features four players.

Oct. 4, 2026: While the drama unfolds with his 2026-27 roster, Wade lands his first five-star recruit since returning to Baton Rouge, 2027 guard King Gibson. Wade began recruiting Gibson while still at NC State. "They have a rich culture," Gibson tells ESPN of the Tigers. "I see how much Coach Wade loves the city and how much the community loves him."

Oct. 8, 2026: Ruzic is cleared to play by the NCAA the day as LSU's first exhibition against McNeese, Wade's former school. Ruzic and Dent both take the floor. Clark, Dessert and Niang do not.

Oct. 11, 2026: The LSU team website adds new players, including walk-on Luke Stansbury, son of LSU assistant Rick Stansbury.

Oct. 13, 2026: LSU does not attend SEC basketball media days due to weather challenges in Baton Rouge. Wade holds a news conference over video and announces that Luis has not been added to the official roster because he is following SEC "protocols," referencing the league's new rules on former professional athletes.

Wade also has an emotional exchange with Sports Illustrated reporter Pat Forde, who asked about Santos and the eligibility of the rest of his roster with both the SEC and NCAA threatening to battle the Tigers over who can play this season.

"We'll see who gets eligible," Wade says to Forde. "We feel good about that group getting eligible. The ones that were actually on our roster, the ones that are actually on our team, we feel like those guys will get eligible. How about that?"

On the same day, the conference responds to LSU's request to dismiss its federal lawsuit, saying the dispute is still "live." The SEC's court filing cites Luis by name. "LSU has openly recruited former NBA player RJ Luis Jr., has allowed him to practice with LSU's men's basketball team, and has refused to publicly and definitively state that he will not be included on LSU's basketball roster, which is not due for several more weeks," the SEC memorandum says.

Oct. 20, 2026: Dent, who was among the athletes given a temporary restraining order by a California court in August, is granted a preliminary injunction that will be more difficult for the NCAA to reverse during the season. It creates more security that Dent will be allowed to play this season.

Oct. 20, 2026: Dessert and Niang are cleared to play this season by the NCAA.

Oct. 24, 2026: Dent, Clark, Niang, Dessert and Ruzic are on the floor for the team's 89-87 exhibition loss at Florida State, signaling that LSU is moving closer to finalizing a roster.

Oct. 28, 2026: A Louisiana judge signs a temporary restraining order that allows Luis to play for LSU this season, in spite of the SEC's rules, and temporarily blocks the SEC from punishing LSU if it decides to play Luis this season.

Tony Clayton, one of Luis' attorneys, says Wade is in his "crosshairs" and that he will hold the coach in contempt of court if he refuses to play Luis this season. A Nov. 13 hearing will determine if Luis is granted a preliminary injunction to play. Clayton, who added the SEC and LSU to the original injunction Luis won against the NCAA in August, said the goal is to secure a permanent injunction for the former All-American.

Oct. 29, 2026: Wade tells reporters he will not discuss the Luis case but adds that "my stance has not changed," suggesting he will not add Luis to the team's roster ahead Tuesday's opener against LSU New Orleans.

On the recruiting trail, Wade makes another splash, when five-star point guard Reese Alston chooses LSU over Louisville. Alston is the son of NBA veteran and streetball legend Rafer Alston, also known as "Skip 2 My Lou." Reese tells ESPN, "The internet makes Coach Wade out to be somebody he's not. ... He has kept his word and showed up to all the games that he said he would."

Rafer doesn't seem to share those feelings, telling the Z Smart Hoops blog he is "disgusted by how this whole process has played out." He added: "Will Wade has operated in a disgusting manner. He is a sleazeball of an individual."

Oct. 30, 2026: Clark, who withdrew from the California eligibility case to join a Kentucky eligibility case, earns a fifth year after the NCAA loses an appeal to block an Oct. 16 ruling. Unless the NCAA successfully reverses the order in the weeks and months ahead, it appears Clark will be allowed to play this season.

Oct. 31, 2026: Wade's 2027 recruiting class moves to No. 1 in the country with the addition of five-star center Xavier Young, who plans to reclassify from the 2028 class and enroll at LSU next fall. "I put a lot of trust in Coach Wade," Young tells ESPN. Young is Wade's third five-star and fourth top-25 recruit in next year's class, joining Page, Alston and forward Ahmad Hudson, who is also the No. 1 tight end prospect in the country.

Even while his 2026-27 roster remains somewhat in flux, Wade has already secured the future of the Tigers.