In the world of college basketball, coaches can change jobs at will, but for players, it’s a different story. This long-standing double standard is now under fire from Jay Bilas following Will Wade’s controversial return to LSU.

During a recent conversation, Bilas suggested that these sudden transfers in college basketball hamper the program’s continuation by undermining the sport’s biggest currencies: trust and business.

“This is not necessarily about Will Wade. It’s about the business, period. Coaches and administrators like to complain about tampering with players. But we never hear that with coaches,” Bilas said. “These coaches are under contract, and other member institutions are basically tampering with them and tortiously interfering with their contractual relationship with their school, with no repercussions.”

“Everybody is good with it because, you take my coach, I’ll take somebody else’s. And the ripple effect goes through the whole industry. I don’t think it’s right,” he said. Furthermore, he urged that implications similar to those in the NBA, where teams must obtain permission to approach the rival coaching bench, be applied in college basketball, too.

Notably, it just took a couple of phone calls last week from the LSU President Wade Rousse to Wade to eventually seal the deal for the latter. Reports suggest the Tigers had already offered a deal to Wade before informing Matt McMahon of his termination. This is a pretty hasty decision from both parties, especially for Wade, who led his team to the NCAA Tournament in his only season with the Wolfpack, though they were eliminated in the First Four.

This sudden decision by Wade has also put NC State at a crossroads. In this offseason, the Wolfpack wouldn’t have thought that they would have to yet again search for a head coach, given they had roped in Wade just a season ago and were locked in with them till the 2030-31 season. But here they are. The questions aren’t just about the morality of this signing, but also about the financial implications.

For starters, per the new LSU contract, Wade’s salary will increase immensely to $4M from $2.5M, a major silver lining for the latter. On top of that, the Tigers will also have to pay out the remaining buyout sum of around $5M to NC State for Wade’s buyout and $8M to McMahon. Thus, this huge expenditure in college basketball has raised questions about the program’s strong financial position and the increased pay scale for student-athletes following the advent of NIL.

“There’s plenty of money when they want to make a coaching change. But when the players get something, and they’re still restricted and, boy, we’ve got a problem with that.”

Will Wade served as the LSU Tigers’ head coach for five years, from 2017 to 2022. But that stint came to an abrupt end after accusations of recruiting violations and multiple Level I infractions involving Wade. Now that Wade is back with the Tigers, he is set to inherit a program that went 15-17 and 3-15 in the 2025-26 season, missing the postseason.

LSU Banking on Will Wade’s Postseason Success to Guide Them Back

Wade has a proven track record of leading teams to the postseason, a feat he accomplished at both VCU and McNeese, which adds weight to his coaching prowess.

Banking on that postseason pedigree, LSU athletics director Verge Ausberry handed Wade the reins, stating, “Will is a consistent winner, a diligent program-builder, and a charismatic leader with an incredible ability to connect with his student-athletes and the fan base. Not only does he bring his postseason pedigree and an energetic presence, but he is innovative and strategic at a time in college athletics that requires both.”

Since Will Wade left the LSU Tigers, the program hasn’t made a single March Madness appearance. And their move back to Wade can just be the factor that they were missing out on. However, it will come with its own challenges. With his return, the Tigers will need to make a major investment to bring in quality players through the transfer portal and secure new commitments.

With a $10M NIL war chest and a history of controversy, Wade’s return isn’t just a coaching hire for LSU; it’s a high-stakes gamble that will define the program’s future, for better or worse.