Will Wade Be Fired As LSU Men’s Basketball Coach After Allegedly Violating Five NCAA Level I Infractions

LSU fired men’s basketball coach Will Wade after receive notification of allegations the school announced on Saturday.

The layoffs mean that Wade, who is in his fifth season at LSU, will not coach in the upcoming NCAA tournament. The tigers are expected as the tournament’s sixth seed, and assistant Kevin Nickelberry will serve as interim coach.

This will be the second time Wade has not been able to coach the Tigers team he led at the NCAA tournament. In 2019, LSU won the SEC regular-season championship, but Wade was suspended from the NCAA conference and tournaments after reports revealed that a federal wiretapper had caught he is discussing a “strong offer” for a recruiter.

Wade is 108-54 at LSU. He used to train VCU attended several NCAA tournaments and had a productive two years at Chattanooga before.

Nearly all of Wade’s tenure at LSU ran under the containment of the federal basketball investigation, which became public in September 2017.

According to the NCAA’s announcement of the allegations obtained by ESPN on Saturday through an open records request, there are eight allegations of Level I violations in LSU’s announcement. Seven are believed to be involved in the men’s basketball program. One of those concerns football specifically, and the two sports share an allegation that “the organization failed to exercise institutional control and oversee the conduct and management of football programs and my men’s basketball.”

There are two Level II charges – one football and one basketball – and one Level III allegation of football.

Wade was charged with five Class I offenses and one Class II offense. Men’s basketball deputy head coach Bill Armstrong was charged with a Class I violation and a Class II violation. In a statement, LSU said it had also terminated Armstrong’s contract.

“We can no longer be swayed by the University, the Athletics Department and – most importantly – our student-athletes, over this lengthy and taxing process if no action,” university president William F. Tate and athletic director Scott Woodward wrote in an open letter. “Our responsibility to protect and promote the integrity and well-being of our entire organization and our student-athletes will always be paramount.”

According to documents obtained by ESPN in August 2020, NCAA enforcement officers received information that Wade “arranged, offered, and/or provided unacceptable payments, including including cash payments, to at least 11 men’s basketball players, their family members, or individuals associated with potential clients and/or coaches do not have scholarships in exchange for registration of potential clients at LSU.”

Allegs were included in the NCAA enforcement officer’s request that their violation case related to the LSU men’s basketball program be heard through an independent, created Accountability Resolution Process. out to handle complex cases.

As part of Wade’s reinstatement in 2019, he agreed to an amended contract that includes a stipulation that allows the university to fire him with cause if he is found out. Class I or Class II violations. Under the terms of the revised contract, Wade agreed to forfeit a $250,000 bonus for the 2018-19 season’s performance. He also agreed not to sue the university if he was fired for cause.

LSU is not expected to pay Wade any money left on his contract because of those modifications. The scope of what is alleged in the notice of allegations is expected to reach those thresholds.

Tate and Woodward note that Wade’s dismissal “is not an admission of consent to any charge” and that the school will undergo “a comprehensive and objective examination of the facts involved and its policies.” current NCAA regulations.”

Of the five Level I charges, the NCAA accuses Wade of providing “unacceptable cash payments to the former fiancée of a student-athlete in order to bribe her to remain silent about her words.” past and present unacceptable seduction of student-athletes or prospective student-athletes.” The allegations were not previously reported.

NCAA investigators found text messages between Wade and the woman in July and August 2017, in which the woman told Wade that people had offered her money to talk about LSU payments to players.

“[Please] Contact me by the end of the day or I will have to take them on offer,” the woman wrote.

“Call me,” Wade replied.

On July 27, 2017, this woman sent another text message to Wade that read, “I need 5 more to pay for a car. Please transfer it to the same account. account.”

On August 1, 2017, after the woman texted Wade and asked if he had received her text about the extra payment, he replied, “I’m sorry you’re in contact money problem. You said we were done after the last transfer I sent. , so in my mind we’re done.”

The NCAA also alleges Wade made a payment in April 2018 to an individual who influenced a potential client’s decision about where he would play in college. In exchange for personal influence, “Wade directed that payments be made to [the individual] from a bank account in Wade’s spouse’s name that Wade and his spouse treat as a joint account. “

Wade is also accused of violating the NCAA’s principles of ethical conduct and failing to cooperate with the investigation,” as well as several other charges. [Complex Case Unit] ultimately failed to fully demonstrate, as he refused to provide all the records CCU requested from him. “

The NCAA alleges that Armstrong, with Wade’s knowledge, made unacceptable recruitment solicits between February 2020 and June 2020 “in the form of cash payments, job offers, and job offers.” Unacceptable work, accommodation, academic support, scholarships and visa guarantee assistance” to then- potential clients and/or his family members to secure his commitment me with LSU.

“Specifically, Armstrong offered to provide [the recruit] and/or his family members or associates with $300,000 in cash ($50,000 in installments),” the allegation notice said. [the prospect’s] friends and relatives as a motivation to make sure [the prospect’s] commitment to LSU, which includes: a job in the organization’s men’s basketball program, an apartment, and a car for [the prospect’s] cousin; a promise of a scholarship to a friend of [prospect]; and help secure visas for other basketball players to come to the United States. “

Wade allegedly told aspiring business executive Christian Dawkins during an wiretapped chat in 2017 that he was frustrated about recruiting future LSU player Javonte Smart because he “has [Smart’s handler] with a strong f—ing offer about a month ago. F — ing strong. “In the end, Smart signed with LSU and played for three seasons before turning pro in 2021.

Dawkins is the subject of an FBI investigation into bribery and other corruption in college basketball. He has been convicted in two federal criminal cases and is serving his sentence in a federal prison in Alabama.

LSU’s football program is also accused of three violations, including a first-degree allegation involving a Tigers supporter embezzling more than $500,000 from hospital funds and giving some of the stolen money to his father. mother of two former LSU soccer players.

The tigers were charged with a class II offense involving Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.a former LSU star who gave $2,000 in cash to four Tigers soccer players on the field after the previous team’s 42-25 win. Clemson in the College Football Qualifier National Championship in January 2020.

There are also football-related tier III fees; Former Tigers coach Ed Orgeron was accused of having improper contact with a player in January 2019.

In October 2020, LSU self-imposed the loss of eight scholarships over two years, reduced recruitment visits, assessments and communications, and banned Beckham from its football facilities for two years. LSU then self-imposed a ban in December 2020 when the Tigers were 3–5 lead with two games remaining of the season.

Wade’s last game at LSU was lost Arkansas during the SEC tournament, in which he was technically fouled for arguing with officials in the first half.