NCAA reportedly says Will Wade made “impermissible payments” to players and recruits

LSU Tigers coach Will Wade has been in hot water ever since the initial bribery scandal broke around two years ago, naming multiple head and assistant coaches across the nation being involved in a pay-for-play scheme.

Wade denied all involvement in ever paying or attempting to pay players, despite being caught on wiretap discussing a “strong-ass offer” for a player that was on LSU’s roster. Wade was suspended for a period back in 2019 when the allegations first arose but was then reinstated.

According to ESPN and Schlabach, part of Wade’s reinstatement included an amendment in contract that included the university to fire him with cause if he was found to commit a level I or level II violation.

Well today the NCAA has said that Wade did in fact arrange for payments, or offered payments, to 11 recruits and players, or people around those players, according to ESPN.

The NCAA says LSU men’s basketball coach Will Wade either arranged for or offered “impermissible payments” to at least 11 potential recruits or others around them, according to documents obtained Wednesday by ESPN.

The documents say the NCAA’s enforcement staff received information that Wade “arranged for, offered and/or provided impermissible payments, including cash payments, to at least 11 men’s basketball prospective student-athletes, their family members, individuals associated with the prospects and/or nonscholastic coaches in exchange for the prospects’ enrollment at LSU.”

The wiretap of Wade was made public during HBO’s The Scheme documentary, highlighting the pay-for-play scandal involving Wade, Sean Miller at Arizona, Bill Self at Kansas, Rick Pitino at Louisville, and may more assistant coaches and agents, most notably Christian Dawkins. Dawkins said that Wade was “100% talking about money” in regards to his “strong-ass offer” claim that was released in the documentary.