Will Wade Suspended for His First 5 Games at McNeese

It seems surreal, but as quickly as he was hired by the McNeese basketball program, former LSU coach Will Wade is already suspended.

The five-game suspension at the beginning of the 2023-2024 season is part of the contract Will Wade signed to take over the men's program at McNeese, which went 22-45 in their last two seasons under recently fired coach John Aiken.

KPLC in Lake Charles has more on the details of Wade's $1.175 million, five-year contract.

Wade will be paid $200k in his first year, with his salary increasing in the second year.
First year: $200k
Second year: $225k
Third year: $250k
Fourth year: $250k
Fifth year: $250k
Wade’s salary is comprised of a McNeese State University base salary of $200k and a McNeese State University Foundation annual premium benefit of the balance of the base salary, which will be paid in monthly installments, according to the contract.
In addition, Wade has the chance to receive the following bonuses:
Conference Regular Season Championship: $5,000
Conference Tournament- finals appearance: $5,000
Conference Tournament Championship: $15k
Each win at the NCAA tournament: $25k
NIT tournament appearance: $2,500
Each win at the NIT tournament: $1,000
Conference Coach of the Year: $10k
National Coach of the Year (limit of one): $20k
Coach shall receive a financial incentive award for each team with a NCAA Single Year Academic Progress Rate (APR) score that is at or above 985: $1,500
Coach shall receive a financial incentive for each team with a NCAA Multi Year Academic Progress Rate with a score at or above 975: $1,500
Wade will also receive a $500 monthly vehicle stipend if a courtesy/leased vehicle arrangement through a local dealership cannot be reached.

Getty Images/Sean Gardner

McNeese will also be hiring an additional NCAA compliance officer and have Wade submit weekly reports on all recruiting activities (including phone calls and texts), among other structural changes to the program.

The safeguards, if you want to call them that, come as Wade still stands accused of major recruitment violations by the NCAA. Those allegations are the reason Wade was let go from LSU at the end of last season.

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