LSU Basketball

LSU fans weren't shy about sharing their feelings Saturday night regarding men's basketball head coach Will Wade's indefinite suspension during the team's 80-59 home win over Vanderbilt.

The Tiger faithful booed athletic director Joe Alleva and shouted "Free Will Wade," among other chants. Those came in response to a Yahoo Sports story that outlined an FBI wiretap that reportedly caught Wade saying he made a "strong-ass offer" while recruiting a prospect, among other remarks.

LSU President and Chancellor F. King Alexander and Alleva soon released a statement, in part noting they suspended Wade "until such time as we can ensure full compliance with the NCAA, as well as institutional policies and standards."

Alleva took in the boos as he found his seat inside Pete Maravich Assembly Center:

Students also hung a large anti-Alleva banner and changed lyrics from the LSU band's songs to "Free Will Wade," per Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune:

Amie Just of the Times-Picayune tallied the fans' chants during the night:

The 26-5 Tigers won the SEC regular-season title after beating the Commodores. They are ranked No. 10 in the nation.

Wade is in his second year as the LSU coach.    

LSU freshman guard Javonte Smart will not play Saturday against Vanderbilt due to his alleged involvement in a pay-for-play scandal that is being probed by the FBI, according to Stadium's Jeff Goodman.

On Friday, LSU suspended head coach Will Wade indefinitely for his alleged role in the potential corruption scandal as well.

Per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com), it was reported Thursday that FBI wire-taps captured phone conversations that allegedly featured Wade talking about "taking care of" a player and his family. Wade reportedly referred to the player only as "Smart" in the conversations.

Wade's phone conversations were with Christian Dawkins, who was convicted in October of funneling illegal payments to the families of high-profile college basketball recruits. Dawkins is known to have worked with Louisville, Kansas and NC State.

Dawkins was sentenced to six months in prison for his role in the scandal. He is also the defendant in a bribery trial set to start April 22.

In one of the conversations between Wade and Dawkins, Wade said that the third party who received the offer involving Smart wasn't happy with his "piece of the pie."

Smart has been one of the No. 10 Tigers' best players as a freshman. He is fourth on the team in scoring with 11.5 points per game and is also averaging 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Smart is also third on the team in minutes per game behind only Skylar Mays and Tremont Waters.

LSU has missed the NCAA tournament in three straight seasons and eight of the past nine campaigns. In its second season under Wade, however, LSU is 25-5 and tied atop the SEC standings with Tennessee. A win over Vandy on Saturday would help the Tigers clinch a share of the SEC regular-season title.

Smart's absence represents a significant loss for LSU, especially if he ends up missing more than just Saturday's game against Vanderbilt.

The Tigers are still heavy favorites to beat a Vandy team that is 0-17 in SEC play this season, but if both Smart and Wade are out into the SEC tournament and potentially the NCAA tournament, a once-promising season for LSU could go south quickly.

LSU has suspended head basketball coach Will Wade after an FBI wiretap was released in which he reportedly appeared to be making an unspecified offer during recruiting in 2017.

University president F. King Alexander and athletic director Joe Alleva announced Wade's suspension Friday, and assistant coach Tony Benford will take over on an interim basis:

In a text message sent to Amie Just of the Times-Picayune, Wade said there is more to the story that he is unable to talk about right now:

"Serving as the Head Basketball Coach at LSU has been the honor of my life. I love this university and all it stands for. From day one, I’ve been focused on building a winning program made up of excellent coaches and staff and a team of first-rate student athletes.

"I cannot comment at this time on various media reports, except to say that they do not begin to tell the full story. I understand the University had to take action before all the facts are in, but I would ask everyone to withhold their judgment until the record is complete.

“To my players and coaches, I support you 100%, and I will be with you in spirit as the season progresses. Your best response to this is to narrow your focus and make sure the last part of the season is the strongest part!”

Per Pat Forde, Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports, the FBI intercepted a telephone conversation between Wade and Christian Dawkins discussing a "strong-ass offer" made during recruiting two years ago: 

"Dude, I went to him with a [expletive] strong-ass offer about a month ago. [Expletive] strong.

"The problem was, I know why he didn't take it now, it was [expletive] tilted toward the family a little bit. It was tilted toward taking care of the mom, taking care of the kid. Like it was tilted towards that. Now I know for a fact he didn't explain everything to the mom. I know now, he didn't get enough of the piece of the pie in the deal."

The report also notes Wade could be heard conveying frustration because "a third party affiliated with the recruitment had yet to accept Wade's 'offer.'"

Dawkins, considered a "basketball middleman with deep connections to grassroots hoops," Adidas executive James Gatto and Adidas consultant Merl Code were all convicted and sentenced to prison for their roles in an FBI probe into bribery and corruption in the NCAA. 

Gatto received a nine-month sentence; Code and Dawkins both received six months, per Larry Neumeister of the Associated Press. 

In September 2017, the FBI announced 10 arrests as part of a two-year investigation, including four assistant coaches—Anthony Bland (USC), Chuck Person (Auburn), Emanuel Richardson (Arizona) and Lamont Evans (Oklahoma State). 

Forde and Thamel reported in February 2018 FBI documents and bank records showed at least 20 Division I basketball programs and more than 20 players were involved in the pay-for-play recruiting scandal. 

Wade was hired by LSU in March 2017 after spending the previous two seasons at VCU. The 36-year-old has a 43-20 record in two seasons with the Tigers, including a 25-5 mark in 2018-19.

LSU will finish the regular season Saturday against Vanderbilt before playing in the SEC tournament, starting March 13. 

LSU Tigers head basketball coach Will Wade reportedly discussed an undisclosed "offer" for a recruit during a 2017 phone conversation with business manager Christian Dawkins, who received a six-month prison sentence Tuesday for his role in college basketball's pay-to-play scandal.

On Thursday, Pat Forde, Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports reported Wade was caught on a wiretap talking with Dawkins about a "strong-ass offer" made for a player believed to be Tigers freshman guard Javonte Smart, then a 4-star prospect.

"I was thinking last night on this Smart thing," Wade said. "I'll be honest with you, I'm [expletive] tired of dealing with the thing. Like I'm just [expletive] sick of dealing with the [expletive]. Like, this should not be that [expletive] complicated."

Wade responded to Yahoo Sports' report Thursday, via Amie Jost of NOLA.com: "I haven't read it. I don't have any comment on that. ... We'll move forward as we need to."

In February, Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com reported Dawkins' phone records showed three conversations with a number belonging to Wade between June 19 and June 30, 2017.

Smart announced his commitment to the Tigers in a Twitter post on June 30, 2017:

Wade denied any wrongdoing since taking over the Tigers program in March 2017 during an appearance on the SEC Network, per Schlabach.

"What I will say is that I'm very proud of everything I've done as the LSU basketball coach," he said. "I have never, ever done any business of any kind with Christian Dawkins."

The reported conversations between Dawkins and Wade, who allegedly stated the offer was "tilted" toward the family so the player could take care of his mom, didn't include any specifics or discussion about whether the recruit and/or his family accepted it in exchange for the commitment, per Yahoo Sports.

"The problem was, I know why he didn't take it now, it was [expletive] tilted toward the family a little bit," Wade said about a potential third-party involved. "It was tilted toward taking care of the mom, taking care of the kid. Like it was tilted towards that. Now I know for a fact he didn't explain everything to the mom. I know now, he didn't get enough of the piece of the pie in the deal."

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The Yahoo Sports report noted Dawkins declined comment via attorney Steve Haney. LSU athletic director Joe Alleva also declined to discuss the wiretap revelations, while neither Wade nor Smart's mother, Melinda Smart, replied to request for comment from Yahoo Sports.

Wade has compiled a 43-20 record at LSU, including a 25-5 mark so far this season with the Tigers currently ranked 10th in the country. He previously served as head coach of the VCU Rams and Chattanooga Mocs.