Report: NC State hires Thunder scout, former recruiting analyst Andrew Slater as GM amid Will Wade tournament run

Though not official yet, NC State appears to be moving forward with McNeese State head coach Will Wade as its new leader. The agreement will likely begin once the Cowboys are eliminated from the NCAA Tournament. In the meantime, the Wolfpack have hired a general manager for their men’s basketball team as they reshape their program.

According to Joe Giglio of Ovies and Giglio and Law of the Wolf, Oklahoma City Thunder scout Andrew Slater is taking the job: “For those worried about an extended McNeese run: I’ve been told that NC State has hired Andrew Slater to be the general manager for the men’s basketball team,” Giglio posted on X. “With the portal set to open on Monday, the timing is imperative for State to get up and running.”

That’s great news for NC State fans worried about the potential of a Sweet 16 run for McNeese State. Now, Wade can finish up his duties with the Cowboys, and hit the ground running for the Wolfpack when the time is right.

Reports began to surface connecting Wade to NC State over the weekend, after the firing of Kevin Keatts. Jeff Goodman of The Field Of 68 relayed the interest of the Wolfpack in the coach, adding their administration met with Wade last week. Now, he’ll be heading to Raleigh for the 2025-26 season and beyond.

The Cowboys’ leader was transparent, confirming he’s been in contact with the Wolfpack during a press conference on Wednesday. That was just one day ahead of the McNeese State’s NCAA Tournament Round of 64 win over Clemson: “I lay it all out there to my players, and my players have laid it all out there to me. We are transparent. We’ve shared it all with each other,” Wade told the media via FOX’s John Fanta.

The former LSU Tigers coach answered yes to a question regarding whether he’d been in contact with NC State specifically. Evidently, things began to move fast with the Wolfpack, and Wade’s next gig is already lined up.

Prior to his time with the Cowboys, Wade was the in-charge in Baton Rouge for five seasons, and the VCU Rams for two before that. From a strictly basketball perspective, Wade is a phenomenal replacement for Keatts. However, he comes with his fair share of baggage, as he was suspended and dealt with a myriad of issues with the NCAA over the last decade.

All in all, Wade has been tremendous since taking over McNeese State in 2023. He’s amassed a 49–8 record, while winning both the conference regular season and conference tournament championships in both his seasons with the program. This comes after he went 105–51 over five seasons at LSU, including a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2019.

As for NC State, it’s been a rollercoaster of a past 365 days. Keatts led the Wolfpack to the Final Four in a shocking run last season, but couldn’t bring that success beyond that. This season, the team finished the season 12-19 overall, and 5-15 in ACC play. They ended their crusade losing three of their last four games.

Keatts finished his time in Raleigh with a record of 151-113, including a 69-84 record against conference opponents. He made three NCAA Tournaments during his time as head coach.