Will Wade addresses LSU speculation

By Hunt Palmer

Most eyes are on the future of LSU basketball, not the present.

Some are on the past.

Rumors have swirled about interest in a reunion between LSU and Will Wade four years after his dismissal from the program amid NCAA violations.

Following Wade’s NC State team falling to Virginia in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals, the Wolfpack head coach was asked about the possibility of his entertaining the LSU job.

“Is the job open there? No? To be clear, I’m excited at NC State, Wade said. “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.”

Wade’s team is currently 20-13 and destined for next week’s NCAA Tournament, a place LSU has not been in four years. The wolfpack lost seven of nine down the stretch after starting 9-2 in league play.

“Look, we’re going to win and we’re going to win big at NC State,” Wade said. “That’s what we’re going to do. That’s what we’re going to do moving forward. We have the resources we need. We have what we need, and it’s on me and my staff to get the job done.”

Wade’s answer was not a firm denial though he did suggest that he would be at NC State next season.

“Look, this year hasn’t gone exactly how we wanted it to,” Wade said. “But we’re going to rally and we’re going to work hard, and we’re going to have a team next year that’s ready to roll.”