Will Wade jokes he'll make history 'one way or the other' in second LSU stint

Austin Curtright, USA TODAY NETWORK Mon, March 30, 2026 at 6:19 PM UTC

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LSU re-introduced basketball coach Will Wade on Monday, March 30, and the one-year NC State coach brought jokes back to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Wade, who coached LSU from 2017-22, was fired by the program for recruiting violations. He was also suspended in 2019 after an FBI wiretap uncovered him conversing with a recruit about a potential monetary offer.

REQUIRED READING: Will Wade introduced as new LSU basketball coach. Highlights press conference

Wade made light of how he left his LSU career during his re-introduction, saying one way or another, he's going to make history with the Tigers this time around.

"We're gonna make history one way or the other," he said. "We're coming back to try to hang a banner and win a national championship, or I'm gonna be the first coach fired from the same school twice. One way or another, we're gonna make history."

Wade led McNeese to an NCAA Tournament win over Clemson in 2024, before leaving for NC State, where he coached one season. He left the Wolfpack in controversial manner, leaving NC State fans in frenzy over the situation.

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It isn't the first joke Wade has made since the LSU news has come to light.

"They're gonna kill me if I start answering questions. I'm trying to follow more rules this time," Wade said to a group of reporters who saw him arriving in Baton Rouge.

LSU never formally announced Matt McMahon's firing in a separate announcement, rather burying the news in an announcement noting Wade's return to LSU.

Wade won games for the Tigers, though, and led the program to an SEC regular season title and Sweet 16 in 2019. He took LSU to the NCAA Tournament in three of his five seasons. He made the NIT before COVID-19 wiped out March Madness in his other season at the helm.

Wade will now look toward rebuilding an LSU team that finished 15-17 last season and has missed the NCAA Tournament in every season since Wade left the program. Perhaps his jokes will also work on the next cycle of recruits for the Tigers.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Wade jokes he'll make history 'one way or the other' at LSU

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