Story by
Will Wade buyout at NC State: What coach would owe Wolfpack if he left for LSU
- Story by
- Will Wade buyout at NC State: What coach would owe Wolfpack if he left for LSU
North Carolina on Tuesday, March 24 fired fifth-year head coach Hubert Davis after back-to-back exits in the first round of the Men's NCAA Tournament .
Could another North Carolina program from the ACC have an opening soon?
Advertisement
REQUIRED READING: At Sweet 16, the coaches supply the star power. We rank them 1-16
According to multiple reports , LSU is working on hiring McNeese athletic director Heath Schroyer for a senior administrator position in Baton Rouge that would oversee the Tigers' men's basketball program. The reported attempt to hire Schroyer is an important one for LSU's rumored plans of bringing back North Carolina State's Will Wade to lead the program.
This comes at a time that fourth-year coach Matt McMahon is still employed by LSU following his third losing record in his last four seasons at LSU. Since his hiring, LSU has never won more than 17 games in a season, never finished better than .500 in SEC play and has never made the Men's NCAA Tournament, advancing only as far as the first round of the 2024 Men's NIT.
Conversely, Wade just wrapped his first season at NC State, which saw the Wolfpack go 20-14 to finish tied for seventh in the ACC. Their season ended with a First Four loss to 11-seed Texas, which is still dancing in March Madness.
Advertisement
Wade, of course, formerly coached LSU from 2017-22, where despite on-court success he was fired for cause after the NCAA accused him of committing multiple Level I and Level II violations, including "lack of institutional control." Following a season in which he didn't coach, Wade took over at McNeese in 2023-24, going 50-9 and appearing in the NCAA Tournament twice in two seasons, helping him land the Wolfpack head coaching position.
Should Wade leave NC State to return to LSU, here is what he would owe the Wolfpack:
Will Wade buyout at NC State if Wolfpack coach leaves
According to Wade's contract, obtained by the USA TODAY Network, he would owe NC State $5 million if he were to leave the Wolfpack for another job, like LSU, before the end of his contract. That payout drops to $3 million on April 2.
Advertisement
Will Wade contract details at NC State
Wade signed a six-year, $17.25 million contract in March 2025, according to The Fayetteville Observer, part of the USA TODAY Network.
There is a total of $14,756,250 million left across the remaining five years of Wade's contract with NC State, according to his contract that was obtained by the USA TODAY Network. Here is his year-by-year base salary, beginning in 2027:
-
$2.65 million
-
$2.8 million
-
$2.95 million
-
$3.1 million
-
$3.26 million
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Wade contract, buyout at NC State if former LSU coach leaves Wolfpack
