Will Wade contract: NC State coach's salary revealed in new report

Will Wade became the next head coach at NC State a week and a half ago on a six-year deal with the Wolfpack. Now, per documents with the school, the price of the total contract is known.

Wade, per reporting on documents obtained by the Freedom of Information Act Request, will make a total of $17.25 million over the span of the deal he has in Raleigh. That’s with him starting at a base salary of $2.5 million and with it compounding by $150,000 in each season after that.

Wade then, per Steve Berkowitz at USA Today, has a slightly different contract than Kevin Keatts, the coach he’s succeeding, or Wes Moore, their women’s basketball coach. He is eligible to make as much as an additional $2 million per season in bonuses. Those are tied to the usual standards of wins overall and in conference, regular-season conference titles in the ACC, advancement and championships in the ACC Tournament or NCAA Tournament, and final rankings in the AP Poll and Coaches Poll. Unlike the other two, though, Wade is unable to earn automatic term extensions or raises.

Considering all things, this is a solid number for Wade. He was on a five-year extension with his former school that paid him $700,000 a year, plus incentives, with a buyout of $1.25 million.

Wade is coming off a two-year tenure at McNeese State. He led the Cowboys to a 50-9 (.847) record, four league titles in total in the Southland Conference, and a pair of appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including their first-ever win in the field this postseason with an upset of Clemson.

Include his other resumés at Chattanooga, VCU, and LSU and Wade is 246-105 (.701) overall in his 11-year career as a head coach with six conference titles and seven selections to the NCAA Tournament. He’s best known for the five years at his other power job at LSU both for his on-court success at 105-51 with three berths, and what could have been four total, in March Madness as well as the off-court issues in recruiting that led to a suspension and show-cause from an investigation by the NCAA. However, the sport has come a very long way in just the three seasons since his firing in Baton Rouge.

Just 12 days ago, Wade was officially named the head coach of NC State. He has made himself known already with the Wolfpack being on the job for less than two weeks. That includes recruiting in the transfer portal, with one addition already in Alyn Breed (McNeese State), and a trio of hires to his staff. There’s still much to set in place, though, as far as recruiting, scheduling, and work in name, image, and likeness in the future of the program during his tenure.

Wade has done great work over a decade as a collegiate head coach. NC State will now hope he does more for them, and out-values this contract, while he’s in Raleigh.