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Will Wade to rely heavily on international recruiting in return to LSU
TL;DR
Will Wade returns to LSU after a year at NC State, focusing on international recruiting to rebuild the team. The Tigers currently have only one player on the roster, with plans to add several new recruits soon.
Key points
- Will Wade returns to LSU after a year at NC State
- LSU previously fired Wade for cause in 2022
- The Tigers have only one player on the roster currently
- Wade expects to add seven or eight new players
- The program will focus on international prospects this offseason
Mentioned in this story
LSUNC State
Mo Dioubate
After one of the wildest college basketball coaching moves we've seen in recent memory, Will Wade is back at LSU after just one year at NC State.
The Tigers previously fired Wade for cause in 2022 after the program was hit with NCAA infractions. However, LSU hired a new athletics director, Heath Schroyer, and university president, Wade Rousse, in the last year. Both previously worked at McNeese with Wade.
Wade has his work cut out for him rebuilding the Tigers, who reached the NCAA tournament in Wade's final season but missed it in all four seasons under previous coach Matt McMahon. As of publication, LSU only has one player — Kentucky transfer Mo Dioubate — on the roster.
Wade said he expects that to change, and he told CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein during an appearance on Inside College Basketball that the Tigers have "seven or eight guys" set to join the roster. He said the program will look to add a healthy number of international prospects this offseason.
"This year, I'm going to lean a little heavier on the international route," Wade said. "This is the last year that a lot of kids over there are going to be eligible, some of the older kids... because of the clock issues, this will be the last year some of those guys are going to be eligible.
"Those kids have a lot of experience, there's just some natural things they've learned over there that really help in college basketball and can translate to us in college basketball."
Wade said that other factors, including hangups with waivers, are slowing down the process as LSU looks to flesh out its 2026-27 roster. He also said he will place less emphasis on depth compared to the roster he built in Raleigh this past season.
Discounting 2020, when the postseason was canceled, Wade has led a team to the NCAA tournament every year since 2019. Now, he's back in Baton Rouge and will look to get a program with just one winning season since his departure back on track.
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Q&A
What is Will Wade's coaching history before returning to LSU?
Will Wade previously coached at LSU before being fired in 2022 and spent one year at NC State before returning to LSU.
How many players are currently on LSU's basketball roster?
As of now, LSU has only one player, Mo Dioubate, on its basketball roster.
What is Will Wade's recruiting strategy for LSU?
Will Wade plans to focus heavily on international recruiting to rebuild the LSU basketball team.
