Will Wade comments on NCAA Notice of Allegations following Mizzou win

LSU head basketball coach Will Wade has been the focus of a recent Notice of Allegations given to him by the NCAA. On Thursday, after his team defeated Missouri in the SEC Tournament, 76-68, he said a few words on the Notice of Allegations, “It’s got nothing to do with anybody in that locker room,” Wade said. “We’re here to play basketball. Everything else, that’ll happen when it happens.”

Check out what he had to say in this video posted by Jacques Doucet.

"I certainly look to commenting when it's all over."

"When stuff is swirling around, you have to narrow your focus."@LSUBasketball Will Wade on the NOA from the NCAA. #LSU pic.twitter.com/PRDsMb1zyd

— Jacques Doucet (@JacquesDoucet) March 11, 2022

With the win over Missouri, LSU advanced to the SEC Tournament quarterfinals on Friday. They will face the No. 4 seed Arkansas Razorbacks, who happen to be one of the hottest teams in college basketball the past few months.

For more updates on the 2022 SEC Tournament, keep it locked here.

LSU Tigers receive Notice of Allegations from NCAA

Two days ago, according to Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated, the LSU Tigers received a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA regarding basketball head coach Will Wade. The process is still a few months away from being resolved in a case that began all the way back in 2017.

Wade was caught on FBI wiretaps talking about a “strong-ass offer” extended to former On3 Consensus four-star prospect Javonte Smart. The guard ended up playing three seasons for LSU, averaging exactly 13 points per game, before going undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft.

Forde reached out to the university about the Notice of Allegations but LSU did not “acknowledge” they had received them. From there, he laid out exactly what could happen to Wade if LSU is charged with a “major” violation.

“LSU officials did not acknowledge receipt of the NOA when contacted by SI on Tuesday,” Forde said in his report. “The NOA originated from the Complex Case Unit of the Independent Accountability Review Process—the so-called ‘off ramp’ for more complicated and contentious NCAA investigations. If head coach Will Wade is charged with a major violation, he could be terminated with cause, according to a contract amendment he agreed to in April 2019.”

If Wade does end up getting fired by LSU, the program will be searching for a head coach for the first time since after the 2016-2017 season. Wade replaced Johnny Jones, who only made one appearance in the NCAA Tournament during a five-year stretch.

On the court, LSU will begin play in the SEC Tournament on Thursday afternoon, awaiting the winner of the Missouri-Ole Miss first-round game. Wade has the Tigers positioned to make the NCAA Tournament for a third consecutive time, making it as far as the Sweet Sixteen in 2019.

On3’s Griffin McVeigh also contributed to this report.