Will Wade and LSU: Why was the coach fired in 2022?
Will Wade may return to LSU. His first stint came to an end in 2022, when LSU made the choice to fire him. What went into that decision?
LSU basketball aims to bring Will Wade back to Baton Rouge. Wade, currently the head coach of NC State, led LSU from 2017-22. According to reports, Wade's hire at LSU could be imminent.
For those unfamiliar with the saga, Wade found plenty of success at LSU. He posted four-straight winning seasons and brought the Tigers to the Sweet 16 in 2019. However, Wade's time in Baton Rouge was marred by recruiting scandals, eventually leading to his firing in 2022.
LSU's NCAA trouble wasn't new in 2022. The university had been dealing with recruiting allegations across the football and basketball programs for the better part of five years. In 2022, LSU football self-issued a bowl ban.
Still, the NCAA turned up the heat on LSU basketball and delivered the notice of allegations in March of 2022. The NCAA hit Wade with five Level I violations. "Will Wade, head men's basketball coach, violated the principles of ethical conduct and provided impermissible cash payments to the former fiancée of a student-athlete in order to buy her silence regarding prior and current impermissible inducements to student-athletes or prospective student-athletes," wrote the NCAA in the NOA.