Will Wade’s quote from 2 weeks ago is going viral - and it aged horribly
NC State head basketball coach Will Wade is expected to return to coach at LSU, and his recent comments are going viral.
Just weeks after publicly shutting down rumors about a return to LSU, Will Wade is heading back to Baton Rouge, and the internet has receipts.
Wade, who spent the 2025–26 season as head coach at NC State, is reportedly set to take the LSU job, marking a stunning return to a program that fired him in 2022. But what’s really fueling the reaction online is what Wade said less than two weeks ago.
BREAKING: NC State head basketball coach Will Wade is expected to leave for LSU, @PeteNakos and @JoeTipton report.https://t.co/O4gE7hAVpe pic.twitter.com/bEwR5FMzk4
— On3 (@On3) March 26, 2026
“This wasn’t going to take one year”: Will Wade’s comments come back to haunt him
Following an ACC Tournament loss earlier this month, Wade was asked directly about links to LSU. His response was emphatic.
“No, is the job open there? Huh? No? So why would I...Listen, I’m gonna 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.”
Will Wade less than 2 weeks ago after being asked about links to the LSU job:
— Boo Cardigan (@BooCardiganNCSU) March 25, 2026
“No, is the job open there? Huh?… Let me be very clear. I’m excited at NC State. I was hired at NC State to do a job. This wasn’t gonna take one year...” pic.twitter.com/cX1X0bJ5NC
He also emphasized that he had already met with administrators about the program’s long-term future and improvements. At the time, it sounded like a coach fully committed to building something in Raleigh. Now, not so much.
Instead of a multi-year rebuild, Wade’s tenure at NC State lasted just one season. Reports indicate he met with school officials as recently as this week before ultimately deciding to leave for LSU, despite efforts to keep him.
The move comes after a 20–14 season that ended with a First Four exit in the NCAA Tournament, hardly the foundation of the long-term vision he described earlier this month.
A full-circle (and controversial) return
Wade’s return to LSU is notable for more than just the timing. He previously coached the Tigers from 2017 to 2022, leading them to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and an SEC title before being fired amid NCAA violations.
LSU is working to bring former head coach and current NC State HC Will Wade back to Baton Rouge, per multiple reports.
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 26, 2026
Wade was fired in 2022 for offering impermissible benefits to players. LSU is currently coached by Matt McMahon, who has failed to make an NCAA tournament… pic.twitter.com/oPyQ6uRmZB
Now, just four years later, he’s back - a move that highlights both LSU’s urgency to win and Wade’s ability to quickly reinsert himself into a power conference spotlight.
In college sports, coach-speak is expected. Public denials, vague commitments and carefully worded answers are part of the job. But the timing here is just ironic. Wade didn’t just avoid the question. He directly dismissed the possibility of leaving and framed his job as a long-term project. Less than two weeks later, he’s gone.
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