“We’d joke about stuff like that, but I don’t think we’d ever take it seriously,” said Wade. “This is a crazy business. You never know what’s going to happen down the line. But we had a mu- tual respect for what each other did.”
When the opportunity actually did arise, neither man hesitated. It was an easy decision for both, not just because of their friend- ship, but rather, their shared philosophies.
“The first thing is that Coach Smart wants to win with character kids,” Wade said. “He wants guys who are character first. We call them winning guys, whether it’s on the court or off the court. He wants to do things the right way, which always struck a chord with me.”
In addition to their similar ideals, Wade came with an impressive resume.
During Wade’s first season at Harvard, where he served as the program’s recruiting coordinator, the Crimson landed one of the top 25 classes in the country, according to
ESPN.com. In 2008-09, Harvard finished 14-14, its first .500 campaign since 2001-02. The 14 victories were also the tied for the Crimson’s most since 1995-96.
Wade effectively spent six years with the Clemson basketball program from 2001-07, four as a student manager, plus one each as a graduate assistant and director of operations.
A native of Nashville, Tenn., Wade grew up with a passion for basketball and a work ethic inspired by his father, Frank, an insurance salesman, and his mother, Margaret, the head of a private school. However, physical talent doesn’t always cooper- ate with desire. When it became obvious that there wasn’t much of a need at the college level for 6-foot-4 post players, Wade decided to take another path.
After graduating high school in 2001, Wade headed to Clemson, where he could major in secondary education and also work as a student manager. The original plan was to eventually become a high school coach and teacher, but college plans have always been fluid. Wade’s total commitment to the game eventually led him to pursue coaching in the college arena.
“I’m never truly away from it,” Wade said. “I’m always thinking about it, working on something. I keep a pad next to my bed, and I might wake up at one in the morning and write something down.”
PERSONAL
Birthdate: November 26, 1982 Hometown: Nashville, Tenn. EDUCATION
Undergraduate: Clemson, 2005
COACHING EXPERIENCE 2005-2006:
Clemson University Graduate Assistant
2006-2007: Clemson University
Director of Basketball Operations 2007-2009:
Harvard University Assistant Coach
2009-present: VCU
Assistant Coach VCU MEN’S BASKETBALL 37
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