While eligibility questions surround LSU’s roster build, confidence emanates from within the program.
LSU Associate Athletic Director Heath Schroyer joined Matt Moscona on After Further Review from Lake Charles on Thursday. Moscona asked directly if Shroyer felt some of LSU’s reported acquisitions from overseas would be deemed eligible for 2026-27.
“I feel very confident about it, and I know Coach does,” Schroyer said. “Obviously, it’s LSU and it’s Will Wade, but here’s the interesting thing. Last year, there were 106 players in college basketball that were 25 years or older, 106. Two hundred fifty-seven were 24 or older. If you look at what Illinois did last year, I think they had six guys that played overseas at a high level, you know, European basketball over there. Went to the Final Four. Arizona, as well, had a few. Duke’s had one. You’re going to take the heat. You’re going to take the arrows because you’re LSU and you’re Will. North Carolina signed a kid last week that played professionally in Europe. Same thing with South Carolina. So, I think there’s a narrative out there that probably needs to get told.”
LSU currently has five commitments from international players who have professional experience in Europe. RJ Luis has professional experience in the NBA Summer League.
Many nationally have questioned the legitimacy of the roster. Shroyer continued to press on the fact that Wade and LSU didn’t invent the international route to college basketball nor show up overseas alone.
“Here’s the other thing people need to understand, too,” Schroyer said. “When Will and the staff and LSU were over recruiting young men, they weren’t recruiting against themselves, right? There were there were other schools out there that were recruiting the same kids.”
Mark Pope at Kentucky flew to recruit Marcio Santos in Italy, for instance.
Armed with a roster full of skilled players who had opportunities at places like Kentucky, Wade is scheduling aggressively.
Over the last two weeks, LSU has added Houston to the schedule as well as Gonzaga which Schroyer confirmed for November 14 in Spokane. The Tigers will also play in Palm Springs against a field that includes strong programs like St. Louis, Southern Cal and Stanford who won 20 games a season ago.
None of those games will be in Baton Rouge, either.
“I was teasing the other day. I said, ‘we got a few home games here that you know we can kind of you know warm up a little bit?’” Schroyer said. “It’s exciting, and our schedule is going to be very, very daunting, but the SEC is ranked the number one basketball league in the country. So, in order to get ready for SEC play, you have to have a very challenging preseason. And we’re not going to go 12-1 and everyone think and it’s all going to be inflated. We’re going to have a few losses probably, but they’re going to be against really good teams, and we’re going to have some good wins. But that’s going to prepare you for the gauntlet of the SEC schedule.”
Excitement has permeated the LSU basketball fanbase for the first time in a handful of years. That much is obvious from the sizeable crowd at Wade’s introductory press conference to the increase in season ticket sales in the hours that followed.
Wade is assembling a roster he feels can compete with some of the best programs in the country. Schroyer says it doesn’t take a huge check to get involved with LSU basketball.
“Honestly, buy season tickets,” Schroyer said. “Come out and support it. It’s been a long time since we’ve been relevant in men’s basketball at LSU, and right, wrong or indifferent, we’re relevant. I think the biggest thing is that everyone matters, not just the people who can write a $100,000 or a million-dollar check. Everyone matters. And the people that go in there and buy a $15 ticket or $20 ticket or what have you and come and cheer and be a part of it. Everyone matters, and I would tell the entire fan base to come support it.”
