BATON ROUGE — Will Wade made it clear Monday he isn’t returning to LSU to reminisce.
“I came here to win, and we’re going to win immediately,” Wade said during his introductory press conference. “LSU and Louisiana deserve a winner, and that’s what we’re going to deliver — and we’re going to deliver that in short order.”
Wade, who previously coached the Tigers from 2017-22, was reintroduced as the program’s head coach after a four-year absence. His return follows the departure of Matt McMahon and marks a rare second stint at the same school for a coach in major college basketball.
“This is deeply personal for me,” Wade said. “Make no mistake, this is home. I wasn’t born in Louisiana, but Louisiana is home for me and my family.”
Athletic director Verge Ausberry said Wade was the program’s sole target.
“There was only one coach we targeted, one coach who made sense at LSU, and we got him,” he said. “At LSU, we believe in winning.”
University president Wade Rousse emphasized expectations for the program moving forward.
“We do not gather to celebrate mediocrity,” Rousse said. “We aim to be elite. We want to win in this league, compete in March at its highest level and win national championships.”
Wade echoed that message, dismissing any notion of settling for average results.
“LSU basketball is not meant to be average, mediocre or pretty good,” he said. “This program’s meant to be great.”
He added that his approach will center on toughness, discipline and aggressive play on both ends of the floor.
“We’re going to be rooted in aggression, toughness and discipline,” Wade said. “We’re going to have a top-10 offense and a top-10 defense at the same time.”
Wade also addressed how his previous tenure — which ended amid NCAA issues — shaped him.
“These last four years have humbled and changed me,” he said. “You’re getting a better coach and a better leader this time around.”
Still, his confidence remains unchanged.
“We’re not scared of anybody, point blank,” Wade said.
The 41-year-old coach said the program will move quickly to rebuild its roster, with the NCAA transfer portal opening soon.
“We’re going to get in that portal … and we’re going to put together a winner,” he said. “This is not something that’s going to take long.”
Wade acknowledged the unusual nature of his return but leaned into the opportunity.
“You never get second chances in life, but we get one here,” he said. “We’re going to make this better than the first time.”
He also framed his return as unfinished business.
“I feel like we left some chapters unfinished,” Wade said. “To have the opportunity to come back and finish that off … that’s a big reason I came back.”
Ultimately, Wade said his motivation goes beyond wins and losses.
“There’s nothing like the meaning of winning with your friends … when you feel like you have a bigger purpose,” he said. “I came back to give back to LSU.”
Wade’s message to fans was simple: expect results — and expect them soon.
“Our time is now with LSU basketball,” he said.
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