Thus far the LSU Basketball team is off to a rocky start to SEC Play as the Tigers are 0-2 after losing to two of the projected bottom tier teams in the SEC. After a strong start in Non-Conference play, SEC play has many LSU fans expecting it'll be another year of tough sledding for LSU in the SEC. As we're in year three under Matt McMahon, the overwhelming feeling is that McMahon is struggling to emerge from the shadow of Will Wade that still lingers over the LSU Basketball program.
To understand why Will Wade has such a strong hold over the fanbase it starts with looking at the program history and what he was able to do in his short time at LSU. Since 1993, the Tigers have made the NCAA Tournament 9 times, 3 of the appearances coming under Will Wade while another would've come if the 2020 Tournament wasn't canceled.
Will Wade came in and quickly turned the program from 10-21 and 2-16 in SEC play into an 18-15 team and made the NCAA Tournament every year following his first year. Wade's personality made him a coach LSU fans loved while every other fanbase despised him as his battles with Nate Oats quickly became as intense as what we saw on the football field.
During Wade's time at LSU, the Tigers quickly started landing elite recruits at an unbelievable pace, with recruits like Naz Reid, Tremont Waters, Darius Days, and Trendon Watford. Upon his firing we'd learn why LSU was landing as many top recruits as Wade was with the NCAA's Notice of Allegations and later on in HBO's The Scheme.
Hearing the Will Wade audio, compared to reading a quote.
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) April 1, 2020
Does it make a difference to you?
Via: HBO #TheScheme pic.twitter.com/7kgESLALZ5
While Will Wade getting caught by the NCAA ended his tenure at LSU, the FBI investigation only built him up in popularity. Wade being on the run from the FBI and the NCAA in many ways made him a hero to fans seeing their Coach willing to do whatever it took to win and the program stood by him allowing him to coach for years following the initial reports.
When the risk finally got too big for LSU to keep Will Wade on board the Tigers had to let him go despite finally having the NCAA's investigation end in 2022.
The end of the Will Wade Era set Matt McMahon up terribly for the start to his tenure as LSU's Head Coach. Upon Wade's firing, all but, one scholarship player left the program either for the NBA Draft or to the transfer portal.
In many ways that's why its the hardest to blame Matt McMahon for LSU's short comings over the past few years as he had to build the program back entirely from scratch. McMahon also had to rebuild with a dark cloud over the program as it took until 2022 for the NCAA to finally impose sanctions taking a scholarship away from LSU in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Like his first season, this season will be tough to blame on McMahon as LSU lost Tyrell Ward before the season kicked off and Jalen Reed tore his ACL wiping out two of LSU's best players.
The SEC is now the toughest its ever been with programs finally pouring resources into their basketball programs but, LSU hasn't fully jumped into the NIL game on the basketball front which has hurt McMahon on the recruiting trail.
In the end, Will Wade's heights may never be reached by Matt McMahon and it may not be possible. Wade was ahead of the game fully diving into players before it was allowed while modern NIL deals are at times outrageous.
Wade's accomplishments are great but, if he played by the same rules as McMahon at LSU would he have been as successful?
Will Wade was an eccentric figure at LSU and he'll be polarizing to the fanbase for a long time. Many will remember the highs and will feel that LSU should've continued to support Wade in the fight against the NCAA. Others will recognize that the sanctions could've been more serious if LSU hung onto Wade and it wasn't worth battling the NCAA which could've eventually effected other sports.
Matt McMahon will have trouble overshadowing Will Wade but, in many ways that's because of who McMahon is. Being a coach that elevates players and is a tactician rather than an ace recruiter will never be the most eye-catching.
Time will tell if Matt McMahon will be the guy for the job at LSU but, in many ways it's unfair to measure his accomplishments against Will Wade's. In the end, Matt McMahon will likely never overshadow what Will Wade was at LSU and that is okay.