Can Will Wade Lead A Massive, Louisville-Style Turnaround In Raleigh?

He may do exactly that, but it won’t be good news for everyone

Last year, we thought that Pat Kelsey would do well, but like most people, had no idea of the masterful turnaround that Louisville would have. He simply did a brilliant job, as good a year in his first season as anyone in ACC history.

That’s actually a very interesting question: not counting expansion years, who had the best first seasons in ACC history?

Mikę Krzyzewski finished 17-13. Lefty Driesell was 13-13. Dean Smith, hobbled by scandal, was 8-9.

Roy Williams was 19-11, Jim Valvano was 14-13. Vic Bubas was 17-11 but made the Elite Eight, Rick Barnes was 15-13 and Matt Doherty was an impressive 26-7 in his first season.

However, Jon Scheyer was 27-9 which is pretty great. But it’s back to UNC for Bill Guthridge, who was 34-4 in his first season, including a trip to the Final Four.

It’s worth noting that both of the latter two guys inherited strong programs from legendary coaches Mike Krzyzewski and Dean Smith, respectively.

Anyway, that was a fun diversion but the main point here is this: ACC coaches expect Wade to have a strong turnaround, possibly a Louisville-level resurgence.

We have reservations about Wade, as we’ve made clear. State fans and some not-too-bright reporters assume that between NIL and the House Settlement, Wade can’t cheat like he did at LSU.

Well, put it this way: we agree that he’s a gifted coach and a smart guy. He’s already shown he will cut corners if necessary. All that has to happen now is that he finds new, creative ways to cheat. And we’ll just point out, again, that the most obvious pressure to cheat will be to keep guys eligible.

Leaving that aside for the moment, Wade will probably do well, perhaps as well as the coach in the article who expects him to push Duke and Louisville.

You’ll notice someone missing there - UNC.

Normally at the top of any ACC discussion, UNC has been notably erratic under Hubert Davis. Make no mistake - Wade is gunning for the Heels, as we saw when he mocked UNC, and therefore Davis, for not knowing how to use Ven-Allen Lubin last season.

However, rivalry pressures run both ways. Wade may outperform Davis this coming season, and if he does, keep in mind that the Tar Heels have lined up Steve Newmark to replace Bubba Cunningham and also to modernize UNC’s athletic department to compete in the new era.

If Davis is falling behind NC State, well, he’s already under fan pressure after falling behind Duke. Like most AD’s, Newmark will want to put his own stamp on things with his own people.

Unlike most AD’s, he’ll almost certainly be putting an end to the long Dean Smith epoch in Chapel Hill. And what’s really strange to consider is that if he does do that, most Carolina fans will be deeply grateful for him having done it.