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The LSU Tigers men’s basketball team will enter the Southeastern Conference tournament today without their head coach, Will Wade.
Wade has been suspended by the school after a recent revelation that the coach may have been involved (directly or indirectly) in funneling big money (think “NBA rookie salary type of money”) to the family of LSU freshman guard, Javonte Smart. Smart is from nearby Scotlandville and was Louisiana’s Player-of-the-Year for three years in a row.
Since legendary hoops coach, Dale Brown, left coaching at LSU in 1997 after 25 years at the helm, LSU basketball has been the third stooge of the LSU sports family. LSU football reigns supreme (especially financially) followed by the emergence of LSU’s annual powerhouse baseball team.
Coach Brown was a beloved coach and spokesman for LSU basketball. He brought LSU to the NCAA Final Four twice (1981 and 1986) and was named SEC “Coach of the Year” four times.
Dale Brown also snagged a young center named Shaquille O’Neal to LSU in 1989 for three seasons (O’Neal later returned to graduate from LSU in 2000). Shaq’s Tigers had success but failed to advance beyond the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Brown was the Dick Vitale of the SEC. His quick wit and personality made him a fan favorite in Baton Rouge as his teams packed the P-Mac (Pete Maravich Assembly Center) on a regular basis.
When Brown retired, LSU’s next basketball coach, John Brady, changed to a more deliberate style of basketball (slower paced and lower scoring). In addition to losing fan interest, Brady’s teams started losing prized recruits who wanted to play in more up-tempo schemes.
Though Brady had some success at LSU during his 10 ½ years as head coach, LSU fired him midway through his final season in 2008.
In 2009, Brady was replaced by Trent Johnson, who became the first black head of a men’s sport at LSU. Like Brady, Johnson had some early success but left Baton Rouge for a job at TCU after just three seasons.
Former Dale Brown assistant coach, Johnny Jones, was hired beginning in 2012. In five seasons, his biggest accomplishment was the recruitment of “one-and-done” freshman, Ben Simmons (who left for the NBA and plays in Philadelphia). Jones was fired in 2017.
Enter Will Wade.
The 34-year old coach already had success with programs at Chattanooga and Virginia Commonwealth prior to coming to Baton Rouge. He promised to give fans an exciting team to watch and make LSU basketball a winner again.
In two seasons, he has delivered on that promise.
After the team went 10-21 the season before Wade’s arrival, LSU finished last season 18-15. This season, the Tigers have just won the SEC regular season with a sterling 25-5 (16-2 SEC) record during Will Wade’s second season as head coach.
Then the wheels have fallen off.
In a nutshell, Will Wade may have been caught (wire-tap, that is) discussing possible financial payments for the family of freshman guard, Javonte Smart, with a young middleman “fixer” named Christian Dawkins.
The calls were secretly recorded by the FBI as part of a federal investigation into college basketball that has resulted in the arrests of several assistant coaches, shoe company executives and others, including Dawkins.
Dawkins was eventually brought to justice and has been convicted on two counts of corruption in October.
Uh-oh.
As of today, Coach Wade has refused to talk about the allegation to anyone other than his New York City-based attorney. Since Coach Wade has refused to talk with his employer (LSU), the university suspended the coach at least until he discusses the matter with the school’s officials.
In a bizarre twist on Thursday, Coach Wade asked to be reinstated for the SEC and NCAA tournaments as he released a statement:
“My legal counsel advised the University that it would be wholly inappropriate for me, or anyone, to submit to an interview under these circumstances.”
Wade said later in the statement: “I love LSU and everything it stands for. What I’m asking for is the right to do my job while exercising my constitutional rights. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”
Curiously, the coach’s statement did not claim his innocence, either.
LSU will appear this afternoon in its first game of the SEC Tournament against the University of Florida without Coach Will Wade. Also uncertain for tip-off will be the primary subject of the alleged payoff, freshman guard Javonte Smart.
LSU’s head coach appears to be in a heap of trouble if this turns out to be true. It also brings questions about other highly prized LSU recruits like Naz Reid (from New Jersey).
The coach has delivered on his promises make the LSU basketball team successful again and fans returned to the PMAC again, too.
Coach Will Wade may truly be a young Pied Piper type of a college basketball coach who can lure gifted players to play at LSU.
Was the Piper’s pockets lined with plenty of recruiting cash for illegal payoffs?
If so, LSU basketball will foul-out of college basketball relevance soon, and several heads may roll.
This may just be the tip of the iceberg.