LSU basketball officially fires head coach after four years

LSU basketball made the official decision to fire men's basketball coach Matt McMahon on Thursday, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. The move is no surprise as LSU's pursuit of Will Wade became public on Wednesday, and escalated on Thursday with reports stating Wade was expected to leave NC State for LSU. It's a return for Wade, who was LSU's basketball coach from 2017-22.

McMahon replaced Wade, but struggled to find the same success. McMahon faced a complete rebuild at LSU after nearly every player from Wade's last team hit the portal. McMahon took over the program as potential NCAA sanctions loomed.

In four years at LSU, McMahon posted just one winning record, going 17-16 in the 2023-24 season. McMahon went 60-70 at LSU, winning just six SEC games in his final two years. McMahon came to LSU after a successful tenure at Murray State and it's fair to say he was dealt a bad hand.

Still, it was time for a change. Wade is expected to inject immediate energy into the program with LSU promising increased NIL resources. The Tigers are committed to being competitive in the SEC.