Report: NC State opens investigation into LSU over Will Wade exit

NC State has reportedly opened an investigation into whether LSU violated North Carolina law by improperly “inducing” former Wolfpack men’s basketball coach Will Wade to return to Baton Rouge after just one season in Raleigh, according to WRAL News. Wade infamously resigned from NC State on March 25, just one day before LSU formally announced his return.

Three and a half months later, NC State has refused to release the Tigers’ athletic department from potential legal action related to Wade’s complicated exit. The Wolfpack continues to investigate whether LSU violated North Carolina’s “Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act,” which allows the aggrieved party to recover damages including attorney’s fees, according to court documents obtained by WRAL.

NC State representatives reportedly have reason to believe LSU colluded with the coach to avoid a larger buyout fee based on the specific “timing and circumstances” around Wade’s March 25 resignation. Wade’s NC State buyout was scheduled to drop from $5 million to $3 million after April 1, but Wolfpack athletic director Boo Coorigan agreed to split the difference once Wade had already left for LSU.

“The timing and circumstances of Coach Wade’s departure from Raleigh and his resignation, along with the LSU term sheet, and the eventual [buyout] payment of $4 million to NC State raise questions about LSU’s potential liability in this matter,” NC State general counsel Allison B. Newhart wrote to LSU general counsel Carlton Jones, per documents reviewed by WRAL.

Coorigan told reporters on March 26 that Wade had negotiated to pay NC State a $4 million buyout, a fee LSU eventually wired on May 8, per WRAL. LSU’s legal counsel later sent a settlement agreement request to his NC State counterpart on May 19, declaring the Wolfpack would formally release LSU from any potential legal claims related to Wade’s departure.

Newhart responded on June 4. NC State revealed its ongoing investigation into “whether LSU improperly induced Coach Wade to breach his employment agreement” with the Wolfpack.

“NC State has not agreed — and does not agree now — to release LSU from any liability. Instead, NC State is investigating whether LSU improperly induced Coach Wade to breach his employment agreement, induced Coach Wade to terminate his employment agreement, and interfered with the timing of termination of the employment agreement to result in lower liquidation damages — all to NC State’s detriment,” Newhart wrote, per WRAL. “Based on Coach Wade’s actions prior to his departure and other information regarding LSU’s pursuit of Coach Wade, NC State has reason to suspect that LSU may have influenced efforts to avoid or delay notice to NC State of LSU’s recruitment of Coach Wade and perhaps even the timing of Coach Wade’s employment with LSU in order to avoid larger buyout fees.”

During his March 26 press conference, Coorigan expressed shock at how Wade’s departure ultimately played out. He suggested the new Tigers coach purposely kept NC State in the dark, with the implication that the coach may have even purposely misled Corrigan regarding his interest in LSU.

Now it seems NC State is willing to potentially take LSU to court to recoup what it feels it’s owed.