NC State men's basketball coach Will Wade is headed back to LSU after just one season with the Wolfpack.

"This was not an easy decision because of how much respect and appreciation I have for this program and this university," Wade said in a statement posted on social media Thursday afternoon. "But the opportunity to return to Louisiana State University is deeply personal. It's a chance to go home  — to a place that means a great deal to me and my family."

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Wade arrived Thursday night in Louisiana by plane, X posts from the LSU basketball account showed.

Wade coached five seasons at LSU, which fired coach Matt McMahon on Thursday, The Associated Press reported. It came after WRAL confirmed that Wade was leaving. Sources told WRAL on Wednesday and Thursday that Wade's departure was likely.

NC State hired Wade to much fanfare last year after firing Kevin Keatts, who led the Wolfpack to the 2024 Final Four. Wade's arrival and declaration that the program would soon deliver a "reckoning" sparked enthusiasm among the Wolfpack fanbase, eager to support a consistent winner in basketball.

"I was as shocked and surprised as anyone else based on the conversations that we had," Corrigan said Thursday afternoon. "I’m disappointed for our athletic department, disappointed for our fans and disappointed for our university that we’re here today."

Wade signed a six-year contract worth more than $17 million. He earned more than $100,000 in performance bonuses this season. Wade's contract called for a $5 million buyout if he left on or before April 1 and $3 million after that, but NC State athletics director Boo Corrigan said they accepted $4 million in order to get a jump on the process of hiring a new coach.

"From day one, everything that was promised to me and my staff was delivered  — and then some," Wade said. "From the operational support, to the quality of the people in the building, to the resources and facilities  — we were given every tool to compete at the highest level. That kind of commitment is rare, and it speaks volumes about the leadership and vision here at NC State."

NC State went 20-14 in Wade’s lone season in Raleigh. The Wolfpack lost eight of their final 10 games, including a last-second loss to Texas in the NCAA Tournament’s First Four.  Wade trashed his team and his analytics-heavy roster construction after the season-ending loss to Texas. 

It was less that two weeks ago that Wade seemed to affirm his commitment to the Wolfpack and dismiss suggestions of a return to LSU.

“We're going to win and we're going to win big at NC State,” Wade said on March 12 after an ACC Tournament loss to Virginia. “That's what we're going to do. That's what we're going to do moving forward. We have the resources we need. We have what we need, and it's on me and my staff to get the job done. Look, this year hasn't gone exactly how we wanted it to, but we're going to rally and we're going to work hard and we're going to have a team next year that's ready to roll."

Wade has been linked to LSU since last offseason when he left McNeese State after two successful seasons and two NCAA Tournament appearances. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry urged the Tigers' former athletics director and others to hire Wade last offseason, Yahoo! Sports reported in October. LSU has hired former McNeese State administrators in Wade Rousse and Heath Schroyer.

Wade was fired at LSU in 2022 after five successful seasons. But Wade was dogged by trouble during his time at LSU, ensnared in FBI and NCAA investigations. At LSU, Wade went 105-51 and reached the NCAA Tournament three times and would have made it in 2020 if the event wasn't canceled.

McMahon went 60-70 in four seasons with the Tigers. McMahon has finished below .500 in three seasons and failed to reach the NCAA Tournament in any season. Wade is 266-119 in 12 seasons as a head coach. He hasn’t been at any stop more than two years — except for LSU.

NC State students: Move comes as a surprise

The news of Wade’s possible exit has raced across NC State’s campus, with students saying they’re “surprised” and “upset” by the news. 

“I mean, we thought he was the guy. He posed as Jimmy V,” said Joseph Angelo, referencing a moment last year where Wade mimicked former NC State Coach Jim Valvano’s iconic pose. 

“I was hoping that he would stay and kind of, you know, work on the rebuild, try to find some more key players,” said another student, Nathan Pavalonis. “He's a great coach. He's very enthusiastic.” 

Some students on campus say the move feels like a betrayal. 

“He had all of these promises that he was going to come, fix our program, get us back into the final four and maybe even win us a championship. And now he's leaving us after we paid a bunch of money to get him over here," said Susannauah Faulk, a NC State Pep Band member. "So I kind of feel like my tuition was wasted, I feel like my time was wasted, and I'm not very happy with him as a guy."

Fans told WRAL News they thought the future of the men's basketball program was looking up after a close game against Texas in the final four. One student said he feels Wade leveraged his position with the Pack for a job with the Tigers. 

"Everyone around campus is just mad right now," said Nathan Cohen, an NC State student. "He had all of these plans for us to win tournament games, win the ACC tournament and he just leaves after a year. I feel pretty betrayed right now. After one year is crazy."

WRAL News asked students whether NC State should work aggressively to keep Wade. Freshman Alex Jones said, “I don't think so. Because if he's already out, there's no reason to try to force him to stay.”

WRAL's Eric Miller and Willie Daniely contributed to this report.