LSU Basketball: 3 takeaways from Tigers shocking firing of Will Wade

2. What kind of coach can LSU get?

The LSU Basketball job is an interesting one compared to the rest of the SEC and nationally. If you include the “covid” year where there wasn’t an NCAA Tournament, Coach Wade would’ve had the team make the Big Dance for four years in a row. In the previous nine seasons prior, they have made it to the Field of 68 just once.

LSU Football is one of the most high-profile jobs in college sports, so the basketball program will always have resources. It’s the same school that was able to get national champion head coach Kim Mulkey from Baylor to LSU on the women’s side of basketball.

The problem here is that the coaching carousel hasn’t been great for the already open jobs. Maryland and Louisville have been open for weeks and there hasn’t been a ton of suitors. Few of the top head coaches have little interest in moving around, leaving a bunch of mid-major candidates that may or may not work out.

The SEC overall could have several changes as well, with Missouri and Georgia recently opening up as well. If everything was on an even playing field, LSU Basketball would be a much better job with a higher ceiling than them. But with a looming postseason ban and scholarship reduction coming, coaching candidates with options may choose the other SEC programs instead.

The Tigers are in a rough spot right now and have to conduct a coaching search in an inopportune time. But the wrong hire will set them back even further.

Look out for a future Busting Brackets article detailing the potential candidates to replace Will Wade.