By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
Will Wade was formally introduced as LSU’s new men’s basketball head coach Monday during a press conference at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, in front of hundreds of excited and hopeful fans eager to see a new product on the floor in November.
Wade had plenty to say on Monday, including insight into his decision to return to Baton Rouge.
And for the second time, your #LSU men’s basketball coach, Will Wade pic.twitter.com/OK6q1zTZPm
— Andre Champagne (@andrechampagnee) March 30, 2026
Here are five key takeaways from his remarks.
1. Wade’s Return To Baton Rouge Is Deeply Personal
Make no mistake about it. Baton Rouge and Louisiana have always been home for Wade and he made that known on Monday. After the way things ended in his first tenure at LSU, Wade felt like he owed it to the fans and university to come back and right the ship.
“I’ve never connected with a fan base and with people like I have with LSU and Louisiana,” Wade said on Monday. “I feel like we left the book open a little bit. We left some chapters out there, and we left some chapters unfinished. To have the opportunity to come back and finish that off and to bring pride and joy to people that I care about and people that mean a lot to me, yeah, I feel a heavy burden towards that. That’s a big reason I came back.”
Wade also noted that he could go and win anywhere else, but winning at LSU is much more personal for him. Baton Rouge isn’t just the place where he has coached the longest at. It’s the city that embraced him. It’s the place where he watched his daughter grow up. It’s where he’s made some of his best friends.
2. Wade Says The Tigers Will Win And In Short Order
Although Wade is thrilled to be back in Baton Rouge, he made his message known: LSU’s lack of relevancy in men’s basketball will soon end now that he has returned.
“I didn’t come here to reflect and talk about the past and any of that stuff,” Wade said on Monday. “We’re gonna win. LSU and Louisiana deserves a winner and that’s what we’re going to deliver. We’re going to deliver that in short order. LSU basketball is not meant to be average, mediocre or pretty good. We can throw that stuff out. That’s not who we are. This program’s meant to be great, meant to compete at the highest level in college basketball, night in and night out.
“This not something that’s going to take long. We’re going to get in that portal when it opens next Monday and we’re going to put together a winner because everybody in here deserves a winner.”
3. Wade’s Teams Will Have A Distinctive Identity
Wade might have coached at two different programs before making his way back to Baton Rouge, but his philosophy remains the same: chance favors the aggressor.
Wade said his teams will be required to play with a certain toughness night in and night out.
“We’re going to be rooted in aggression,” Wade said. “We’re going to be rooted in toughness and be rooted in discipline,” Wade said. “We’re going to come back and have a top-10 offense and a top-10 defense at the same time, which will allow us to compete at the level we want to compete at. Defensively, we’re going to be disruptive. Offensively, we’re going to be relentless, attacking the paint, attacking the rim and we’re going to have the details of discipline.”
4. Leadership Change Has Already Sparked More Interest In Fans
In just his first press conference, the vibes immediately feel different within the fan base. There were hundreds of fans that attended Wade’s press conference, which looked to be more fans than there were at some of LSU’s last home games this season.
The fans have already shown they will rally around Wade. And that is because they know what he’s capable of doing.
5. Wade Is Embracing The Villain Role
Wade opened up about leaving North Carolina State in his introductory press conference. He doesn’t care about how he’s viewed. Because no matter what Wade does, LSU fans just want a winner to embrace.
“I’m at peace with how I left,” Wade said. “I’m at peace with what we did. Look, they’re pretty mad for a coach they didn’t think was very good. That’s the way it goes. But look, I wish NC State nothing but the best. I’ve built some great relationships there. I had a very good relationship with Boo Corrigan, the AD, and I understand they’ve hired Justin Gainey, a former player, and I hope they do great and wish them nothing but success.
And he doesn’t care about what others outside of the program think because to Wade, it’s “LSU vs Everybody.”
Hey @AustonTaylor, think we can bring back these shirts? pic.twitter.com/kXhhv1MuOy
— The Geaux Team (@GeauxTeamPod) March 26, 2026
“I know people have been talking about us a little bit,” Wade said. “I understand, I’m not for everybody and we understand also that LSU isn’t for everybody. But one thing we both understand is I’m for LSU and LSU is for me.”
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