LATEST: LSU basketball coach Will Wade suspended after Yahoo report; school releases statement

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An FBI intercepted phone conversation between LSU basketball coach Will Wade and recruiting middleman Christian Dawkins was released in a Yahoo! Sports report Thursday. And during the conversation between Wade and Dawkins, the Tigers' coach is quoted as referencing a "strong-ass offer" and "this Smart thing,” which Yahoo highlights could be in reference LSU freshman guard Javonte Smart.

The phone call records Wade expressing frustration with a third party affiliated with the recruitment process, Yahoo reports.

“I was thinking last night on this Smart thing,” Yahoo quotes Wade as saying, though there is no elaboration what the Smart thing is. “I’ll be honest with you, I’m [expletive] tired of dealing with the thing. Like I’m just [expletive] sick of dealing with the [expletive]. Like, this should not be that [expletive] complicated.”

In another phone call detailed by ESPN, Wade joked with Dawkins that the player would be compensated more than the "rookie minimum," and that he made deals for "as good of players as him" that were "a lot simpler than this."

Wade was asked about the report while speaking with reporters Thursday afternoon but did not go into great detail.

"We'll move forward as we need to," said Wade, noting that he received notice of the report about 20 minutes before it was published.

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When contacted by The Advocate just after noon Thursday, Melinda Smart, Javonte's mother, said she hadn't heard about the latest Yahoo report.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said. "I don't know anything about all of that. I have to read it first."

Wade’s name was first mentioned last October at the bribery trial of Dawkins, former Adidas executive Jim Gatto and Adidas consultant Merl Code.

The three men eventually were convicted on felony charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

“I, or we, have never, ever, done business of any kind with Christian Dawkins… Mr. Dawkins,” Wade said last year at Southeastern Conference media days, his voice rising. “So that’s really what I’ll say about that, and I’ll move forward from there and take any questions about our team and our season as we move forward.”

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Most recently, it was reported by Yahoo on Feb. 25 that Wade and Arizona coach Sean Miller will be subpoenaed for another trial set to begin April 22.

LSU is tied with Tennessee for the Southeastern Conference lead with one game left in the season.

At least two media outlets covering the trial last year reported that defense attorneys tried to enter into evidence a taped conversation between Wade and Dawkins concerning 2019 four-star recruit Balsa Koprivica, a 7-foot center who signed with Florida State in November.

According to an SI.com story, defense attorney Casey Donnelly told the court — without jurors present — that the government recorded a conversation in which Dawkins talks to Wade about a recruit “you would have funded.”

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After confirming the player was Koprivica, a native of Serbia who is playing at Montverde Academy in Florida, Wade allegedly told Dawkins “there’s other (expletive) involved in it.

"Wait, I’ve got to shut the door … I can get you what you need, but it’s got to work.”

The full context of the conversation is unclear because further details were unavailable.