Wade Returns to LSU, Malone Takes Over at UNC

Will Wade is home. After a turbulent exit from LSU in 2022 over NCAA violations, the coach bounced around McNeese and then NC State before getting the call to return to Baton Rouge. He stepped in when Matt McMahon was let go. Wade’s return comes with a roster that looks like a legal puzzle, packed with transfers and fifth-year players who had to fight for eligibility. Names like Donovan Dent and RJ Luis anchor that group. It is a high-risk, high-reward setup for the 2026-27 season.

North Carolina took a different path. Following Hubert Davis’ firing in March, the Tar Heels turned to the pros. They hired Michael Malone, a man with an NBA championship ring from his time with the Denver Nuggets. Malone spent the 2025 season as a broadcaster after parting ways with the Nuggets. Now he is back on the sideline, bringing over a decade of professional experience to one of college basketball’s most famous programs. The goal is simple: get UNC back to the top.

Michigan lost its head coach to the NBA. Dusty May left to join the Dallas Mavericks after leading the Wolverines to a national title. That vacancy created chaos, but Mike Boynton Jr. stepped up. The assistant was promoted to interim head coach and signed a two-year deal in July. He kept the core intact, losing only L.J. Cason during the transfer portal window. Boynton is no stranger to the grind. He spent seven seasons at Oklahoma State, posting a 119-109 record and making one NCAA Tournament run. Now he faces a harder task: guiding a team that lost its three best players to the NBA Draft.

Oregon faced a leadership vacuum when Dana Altman retired. Tony Stubblefield moved up from assistant. The veteran staff member has eight NCAA Tournament appearances under his belt, including five Sweet 16s and a Final Four run. He left Oregon for DePaul, where he went 30-66 from 2021 to 2024 before being fired mid-season in 2024. His return to Eugene has not triggered a mass exodus. Despite the coaching change opening the transfer portal, no one has elected to leave. The stability seems to be holding.

Randy Bennett is back in his home state. The former Saint Mary’s legend takes over at Arizona State, replacing Bobby Hurley after 11 seasons. Bennett brings a resume that speaks for itself: 25 seasons as a head coach, 12 NCAA Tournament bids, and seven West Coast Conference regular-season titles. The Sun Devils finished 17-16 last year. Bennett’s job is to get them back into the NCAA Tournament, something they have not done since 2023.

The Big 12 saw a significant shakeup involving Jerrod Calhoun. The former Cincinnati coach joined the league to lead the Bearcats again, returning to his alma mater. He spent the last two seasons at Utah State, where he posted a 55-15 record and earned back-to-back NCAA Tournament spots. Now he replaces Wes Miller in Cincinnati. The chain reaction did not stop there. Ben Jacobson, formerly of Northern Iowa, took over at Utah State to fill the hole left by Calhoun’s departure.

Providence also made a change. Bryan Hodgson took over after the Friars stumbled to a 15-18 finish last season. He comes from South Florida, where he spent one year leading the Bulls to a 25-9 record and an NCAA Tournament appearance. These moves highlight a broader trend. Top programs are betting on coaches with deep mid-major roots or pro-level pedigree. The 2026-27 season is shaping up to be unpredictable. The power dynamics in college basketball are shifting, and the coaching carousel has set the stage for a wild ride.

The coaching carousel has spun, and the results are settling in. At Providence, new head coach Hodgson faces an immediate challenge. He must assemble a roster built almost entirely from transfers. The goal is clear: return the Friars to the NCAA Tournament. It has been three seasons since they last made the postseason. Beyond that, Hodgson landed a significant recruiting coup. He snagged Lewis Uwvo, a 2027 prospect ranked No. 7 by 247Sports. That commitment came despite competition from high-major programs and blue-blood schools.

Syracase sees a familiar name back in the building. Gerry McNamara takes over the head coaching reins for the Orange. This is his first season at the helm. A guard for the Orange from 2002 to 2006, McNamara has deep roots in the program. He started 135 career games. As a freshman, he averaged 35 minutes per game on the national championship team alongside Carmelo Anthony. Before returning to Syracuse, he spent two seasons at Siena. There, he won a MAAC conference title and secured an NCAA Tournament bid.

NC State welcomes a homecoming of its own. Justin Gainey returns to the Wolfpack, this time as head coach rather than a player. He suited up for the program from 1996 to 2000. After his playing days, he joined Rick Barnes' staff at Tennessee as an assistant. The vacancy opened up after Will Wade departed for LSU. Now, Gainey aims to drag his alma mater back into the NCAA Tournament.

Kansas State makes a significant move following the parting of ways with Jerome Tang. Tang had led the Wildcats to an Elite Eight appearance, but that chapter is closed. The university hired Casey Alexander for the 2026-27 season. Alexander brings stability from Belmont, where he spent the last seven seasons. He posted seven consecutive 20-win seasons there, compiling a 166-60 record. A former Belmont guard from 1991 to 95, he steps into a program reeling from a disappointing 12-20 finish. His priority is getting the Wildcats back to the postseason.