In a press conference held on Wednesday, McNeese coach Will Wade spoke out about the federal investigation into illegal payments to players, asserting that it had "ruined a lot of people's lives." Wade expressed his desire for the NCAA to allow those affected by the investigation to return to college basketball.

Wade, who began this season with a 10-game suspension for violating multiple NCAA rules, acknowledged that he was fortunate enough to recover from the allegations and resume his coaching career. However, he emphasized that there were many others who were not as fortunate.

"It was extremely unfortunate," Wade stated, as his team prepared for their first-round game against Gonzaga in the NCAA tournament. "I stay in touch with a lot of the people who haven't been as fortunate as me to be able to find a route back."

The McNeese coach highlighted how the investigations had negatively impacted "good people's lives for very little," particularly considering the changes that have occurred in college sports over the past seven years with the implementation of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities.

Wade expressed disappointment, stating, "Everything that some of these people got their lives ruined for, it's standard operating procedure today. It's just extremely disappointing." He called upon the NCAA to intervene and alleviate the punishments imposed on those affected by the investigation, asserting that they had already been sufficiently penalized.

"They've been punished. I promise you. They've been punished enough," Wade added.

Having been fired by LSU after the SEC tournament in 2022 but subsequently taking the helm at McNeese, Wade reflected on his own tumultuous journey. He acknowledged that if it weren't for the LSU job, he would not have been introduced to the state of Louisiana nor been able to secure his current position. Wade described his time at McNeese as "magical and special" and deemed it a "net positive."

The Wednesday press conference coincided with the seven-year anniversary of Wade being named LSU's coach, prompting him to reflect on the experiences he has endured during that time.

As the NCAA tournament commences, Wade's call for the NCAA to allow those affected by the federal investigation to return to college basketball sheds light on the lasting consequences that such investigations can have on individuals' lives.