Will Wade reveals biggest difference between LSU, NC State

Just four years after his firing from LSU, Will Wade is back in Baton Rouge. He returned to the Tigers after one season at NC State to replace Matt McMahon as head coach.

During an interview with CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, Wade had plenty of praise for NC State after his lone year in Raleigh. But when asked about the biggest difference between the Wolfpack and LSU, he pointed to the difference in resources.

Wade cited the revenue generated at LSU, along with the investment the SEC has made in men’s basketball, as a separator for the Tigers’ job. On3’s Pete Nakos also reported LSU could be one of the big spenders on its roster in 2026-27.

“Look, NC State’s a great basketball job, as well,” Wade said on Inside College Basketball. “I think NC State is a great place. It was tough to leave there. But I think at LSU with the SEC, we just have more resources. The saying of the SEC, ‘It Just Means More,’ it’s true. It’s 100% the truth.

“We’ve got tremendous resources down here just because of the revenue that’s generated through our basketball and football contracts. I think we have the ability to compete with the best in the SEC and when you compete [with] the best in the SEC, you’ve got the opportunity to compete nationally.”

Of course, there’s also the idea of NCAA Tournament expansion. There appears to be growing momentum toward a 76-team field, which means the potential for more access. Wade said the SEC could be in a position to capitalize.

“You look at the number of bids that the SEC’s been getting every year, with the tournament expanding, probably all but one or two teams every year – we’ve got 16, probably 13 or 14 of them are going to get in every year now, I would think, with the expansion,” Wade said. “I think the SEC’s one of the premier conferences in college basketball.

“We’ve got great leadership with Commissioner [Greg] Sankey and Garth Glissman from the conference office. I think the resources here give you a chance to compete nationally.”

Will Wade: LSU is somewhere ‘I’m familiar with’

Will Wade, of course, also knows the LSU fan base and others around the program well. He amassed a 105-51 overall record during his first stint with the Tigers, including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2019. His firing came after a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA late in the 2021-22 season.

But even after spending four years away – two at McNeese State, one at NC State and another out of coaching entirely – Will Wade still has relationships at LSU. That’s why he said he was able to settle back in quickly and made it easier to adjust after his high-profile departure from NC State.

“It’s something where I’m familiar with,” Wade said. “It’s not somewhere I have to go meet people and usually, it takes 18-24 months to get your hands around everybody, get your hands around everything wherever you are. I feel like I’ve been able to expedite that process by being back here at LSU.”