LSU Nears Rehiring Will Wade as Basketball Coach

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Louisiana State University is on the verge of rehiring Will Wade as its men's basketball head coach, four years after his dismissal amid recruiting violations, according to multiple reports on March 25, 2026. The move would end Matt McMahon's four-year tenure and signal a bold attempt to revive a struggling program.

Current coach McMahon, who has compiled a 60-70 record since taking over in 2022, learned of the potential change only recently, sources said. LSU finished the 2025-26 season with a 15-17 overall mark and 3-15 in the Southeastern Conference, marking the third time in four years the Tigers placed last in the league. The team has not reached the NCAA Tournament during McMahon's time, with just one winning season and a single National Invitation Tournament appearance.

Wade, 43, coached LSU from 2017 to 2022, posting a 105-51 overall record and 56-33 in SEC play. He led the Tigers to three NCAA Tournament berths, including a Sweet 16 run in 2021 and an SEC regular-season title in 2019. Wade transformed a 10-21 squad he inherited into a consistent contender within his first two seasons. His tenure ended in March 2022 when the university fired him...