As the college basketball world swirls around him, Will Wade stays focused on the job at hand, not the one he’s rumored to get.

“I don’t pay any attention to all that,” said Wade. “I’m not on social media. Others tell me about all that stuff.”

He laughs as he is told about all the places that want him, the places he is reported to have interviewed at, and where he will be next.

“I’m the McNeese State head basketball coach,” said Wade. “This program, this school, this community has been great to me, and I’m not going to shortchange them one bit. I am all in with this team.

Everybody around the country wants to know for how long. This much is for sure: When the Cowboys take the floor against Wade’s alma mater Thursday in Providence, R.I., he has only one thing on his mind.

“When that ball goes up, I’m all in on McNeese,” Wade said. “This group, this team, means too much to me for anything else.”

Wade is a hot commodity on the coaching circuit after leading McNeese to 57 wins and only 10 losses in his two years in Lake Charles and winning a pair of Southland Conference championships.

However, he is having fun with what he’s doing for a fanbase that loves him.

“We’re here today and here for the duration,” said Wade. “We’re not going to shortchange this program one bit. We’re going to make sure that we finish this season off as well as we can. Then, whatever cards we’ve got at the end of the year, we’ll figure out what we’re doing.”

For some Cowboys fans, those words seem ominous, but others find them hopeful. Wade makes them sound neutral. 

He knows this game and tournament mean so much to people he cares about. He is not going to make waves before such a big week.

Meanwhile, North Carolina State fans continue circling him on social media sites just like last sharks closing in on a drowning swimmer.

There is no question that he’s the choice of Wolfpack fans, but is the Wolfpack Wade’s choice?

We don’t know if he has a bigger prize in his eyes. This is a guy who keeps his cards close to his vest.

Wade has always been open with his players and the media about the situation, even more so with his team.

“We address it head-on,” said Wade. “I know what they got going on (NIL), and they are aware of what I got going on. When it’s time to say something, we will.”

His players only know one thing: they love playing for him.

“He talks to us all the time about everything, but we are focused on basketball this year,” said guard Javohn Garcia. “We don’t worry about the outside noise. We only worry about this team this year.”

Staying focused is the key.

“We have a basketball game to play,” said Christian Shumate. “We want to win for this team now.”

Still, it is out there for others to discuss and ask about.

“It has been hectic for sure,” Wade said. “It’s all part of this, but forget all that. We’ve got another game with this group. And I want to win a game or two (in the tournament), hopefully, and we’ll do it and get to have another week together.”

That’s all any Cowboy fan can ask for right now.

Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers McNeese State athletics for the American Press. Email him at jimgazzolo@yahoo.com