LSU men’s basketball player Wayde Sims was shot near Southern University’s campus last night around 12:25 a.m. Friday morning, according to a BRPD news release.
The shooting occurred outside of a Subway restaurant at 668 Harding Boulevard near Southern’s A.W. Mumford Stadium, according to the release. Sims was transported to a local hospital where he later died from his wounds.
“Obviously this morning, we got the call you never want to get as a head coach,” said coach Will Wade. “Then we got to the hospital and they told us the news on Wayde. From there, our concern was with Wayde’s parents, and we spent the majority of the morning with them.”
The team had a scheduled 6:30 a.m. meeting Friday morning where Wade and the coaching staff broke the news to the players.
The coaching staff, administrative staff and counselors were all in attendance, and the University is offering counseling for players who need it.
Sims, a junior forward, had played in 32 games last season for coach Will Wade.
“We are all devastated,” Wade said in a statement released by LSU. “We need your prayers for Wayde, for his family, for all of us. We are heartbroken.”
Wade and Alleva spoke with the media at 10 a.m. Friday to mourn the loss of Sims.
“We’ve started the grieving process with our players,” Wade said. “We’re going to support our guys and move forward from this.”
Sims was a 2016 graduate of University High in Baton Rouge, and his father Wayne played basketball at LSU from 1987-1991.
“Wayde Sims’ loss is simply unbelievable to us right now,” said vice chancellor and director of athletics Joe Alleva. “There are no words that can express our sorrow for his parents and family. He was such a lovable young man who was full of joy. We are circling around his teammates and friends who need all the love and support we can give them. We are praying for his family, for his parents. God bless Wayde Sims.”
Wade said the early outpouring from members of the LSU community has been “unbelievable.”
“We’re still hearing from people reaching out offering their condolences and support,” Wade said. 
Alleva knew Sims personally and said in 40 years of working at both LSU and Duke, he hasn’t experienced a sadder day.
“We’re going to do everything we can for his family and the players,” Alleva said. “Like I told the players this morning, this is a day they’ll never forget. It’ll live with them forever, and we’ll deal with it the best we can going forward.”
Editor’s note: This story will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.

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Alyssa Berry

LSU director of athletics Joe Alleva and LSU men’s basketball head coach Will Wade speak about Wayde Sims at a press conference on Friday, Sept. 28, 2018, in the PMAC.