The college basketball world was shaken on Monday when Dusty May left Michigan for the Mavericks.
That could fire up the college basketball coaching carousel again, but Michigan could also promote from within to settle things. Another round of coaching moves could reignite the transfer portal as players are allowed to pursue other options should their coach leave.
Aside from that, rosters are kind of what they are at this point in the summer.
Will Wade said in the spring that LSU would have its roster set by the time school starts in August. At the time of that discussion with Jon Rothstein, LSU was light on players.
The Tigers still don’t have a full roster, and eligibility concerns are legitimate in a couple of cases. Based on reports, LSU’s roster is looking like it’s about 11 deep right now. That could shrink to closer to nine should some eligibility rulings go against Wade’s program.
Nothing is set in stone, but here’s a realistic look at where LSU’s roster stands.
BACKCOURT
Divine Ugochukwu – Transfer from Michigan State
Austin Nunez – Transfer from UTSA
Yam Madar – Israel
Mo Dioubate – Transfer from Kentucky
Abdi Bashir – Transfer from Kansas State
RJ Luis – Celtics
Saliou Niang – Italy
FRONTCOURT
Bryce Dessert – Turkey
Marcio Santos – Israel
Michael Ruzic – Spain
Jordan Bender – High School
That’s 11 players with significant questions surrounding Luis and Madar.
The transfers are all legitimate and will play. That’s four guards. Niang was drafted by Cleveland but never signed a contract. He’s a fifth guard.
The four frontcourt additions also appear to be in line with eligibility requirements. Ruzic is only 19. Santos was being recruited by multiple programs across the country including Kentucky. Dessert was being courted by North Carolina, Kansas and Arizona. Bender is a prep product.
In the worst-case scenario, LSU moves forward without Madar and Luis. That would be your starting backcourt in an ideal world. Without those two, it’s more likely Ugochukwu runs the point with Bashir and Niang as the starting off-ball guards.
Nine players is about what Wade said would be his focus. He lamented trying to pay 12 or 13 players at NC State and missing out on some star power while accumulating depth that wasn’t useful other than to practice.
The assembled roster is enough to take the floor with but isn’t complete. School starts in nine weeks. That’s the target date to have it all figured out.
All is quiet on the LSU basketball front, and that generally comes with confidence.
