Coastrashtiger

Not including Luis Jr. I would say 4/5, will be able to play.

Firmly staying in the 2027 class, which is the best decision. Kentucky is second to LSU in the race. I think LSU takes this one by the fall. UK thinks he will be theirs in the end. With Popes future in question now, Hampton’s relationship with not only Stoudemire but Wade think he is solidly us.

When I first talked, they had a skeleton staff of 5. They struck out on their Top 3 transfer portal targets that were the non McNeese, NC State previous connection guys. Really the day after Haggerty made a firm decision to go elsewhere, they pivoted to this strategy. I think had they gotten those 3, kept 2-3 guys from the previous LSU team then added Dioubate, Bashir, McNeil, Ugo that team is probably a middling SEC team that I would have put 8-11 wins. Probably a little above a bubble team, high floor, lower ceiling type team.

Fantastic recruiting staff Wade put together. I would put this staff among the Top-3 LSU has ever had, rivaling the best staffs Brady had (Tyndall, Kermit Davis, Butch Pierre etc..) or Brown (Abernathy, Tex Winter, Rick Huckabay, Johnny Jones year after). Which could be a great topic, I will post to the rant. Jones handling 27’ guys especially the Texas recruits. Stansbury foreigners, Hamilton and Stoudemire US transfers, high school grassroots connections, some foreign. All of the coaches based on positions will talk to every recruit and help.

To answer the question, they knew it would cause major waves with the number of guys they would go after. Where they are playing as in not getting guys from the second or third levels of the European basketball pyramid. Going after actual Euroleague pros that get above the expense/salary minimums. In the case of Luis (He will be ruled ineligible doubt there will be an injunction granted, still he could play 5-12 games off appeal and suits.) What I still do not understand or get is you have national media types, fans of CBB, even LSU local media and fans saying they aren’t eligible or will be ruled ineligible. They are not eligible because they haven’t even gone through the clearinghouse, applied for visas, or gone through the process.

If this was TLDR:
Staff thoughts they may or probably will be ruled ineligible by the NCAA which is silly and wild for a ton of reasons, in house counsel and defense firms finna eat. But like Dessert, Santos, Ruzik, in previous years they were recruited stateside by major college teams and were all but assured eligibility. But now even with new NCAA bylaws or rules, which many college coaches know and do not want because it could be fatal to their 2026-27 teams. The NCAA stuff will have no teeth. Excuse my language, f what the NCAA implements or wants. You cannot simply ignore 135 years of federal law and precedent. By the way tyfys to John Sherman for all you did for LSU and continue to do. So I think besides Luis if they all come over, which for Niang and Madar are still big ifs, they will be able to play at LSU.

Backup plan is this, go get 3-4 high school recruits that are not ready right now to go up against NCAA tourney teams, 2-3 JUCO guys they brought in one guard and a wing for visits not commitable offer guys good players IMO with 4 to play 3 I believe, maybe 4 to play 4 Idk or 3 for 3 idk, and 1-2 more transfers like Nunez that never reached their potential but have played major CBB. That team will struggle mightily but if LSUs guys aren’t able to play, a lot of SEC and major college basketball teams should and wouldn’t be able to play.

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This doesn't sound good Might not have a roster after all

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Go NCAA! They are really something man, that’s their answer to this???? :lol:

They still are so out of touch they won’t even craft or conceive legislation with Sherman in mind. Just an absolute clown show. They just paid in the 2025 fiscal year something like $28 million in legal fees not counting in house salaries and consulting fees. They still are going to write or come up with stuff at odds with antitrust federal law. Beyond me how Baker and that group can continue to say they need to be looked at for guidance or a real voice in any of this.

de Laurrea I would estimate at 25% he commits, 10% he makes it to campus. As we speak still no numbers discussed.

Really think it could be a MLB style high school draft pick approach at this point. I’m still worried about Madar or Niang coming over and actually making it to campus.

He just got another commitment and will sign a EURO that is that committed to Wade that he is taking his name out of the NBA draft! :doublebird:

I don’t know if he is trying yet, but if he ever tries really hard man better watch out right?

Glorious keep them coming. At this point I hope and I know he does just go and sign a current NBA player or have them commit. What are people going to get upset. Great add

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He’s not “signing” players who now automatically get to play and that no one else has access to. He’s recruiting players and soliciting commitments from players who he knows may not be eligible.

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Not trying to be argumentative at all, I still want to know besides Luis Jr. how could they when they apply for eligibility be ruled ineligible. Can show right now in the SEC 15 examples from last year and the portal this given moment, of the exact same situation. They were ruled eligible and are playing/transferring in. The only big difference was CWW cut out the middle men and didn’t wait. They went directly to pro teams with buyout money, and did nothing wrong. They just got so many at once directly from the second best league in the world. LSU doesn’t need permission or have the inclination to let people know what they are doing? It’s recruiting, I mean so when Mark Pope from Kentucky flew to Tel Aviv sat down with Santos and was told no by him and his agent I don’t want to play for you GTFO, LSU had been in co tact with him before during and after. What LSU should have called Kentucky and told them hey don’t give up he still might want to play. Or call Kansas about Dessert, like Desseet committed and was going to come over and play for Kansas last year, the reason he didn’t wasn’t because of eligibility it was the draft, Andalou coming in and offering a good deal and he didn’t wanna leave Europe at the time in his life plain and simple.

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I think on the whole ALL college sports fans would just like a world where there was clarity on the rules and there weren't constant runs to the courthouse to bend them in your favor for your specific need at the time.

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Totally agree.

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So some of what you were hearing from Matt was just one side of the behind the scenes battle...the side that was not all in on Wade returning. They didn't want to allow themselves to be bullied by the Governor, for various reasons.

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I got that and understood it. What i’m saying is okay he was sorta against the Wade rehire or spoke in his connections and their internal feelings. But even if Vesge didn’t want to. Up until the minute Wade returned, there was never any pushback or it felt like any real plan, for lack of a better word had they won the power struggle. So Wade doesn’t come to LSU. There was no sense and actually it was put forth the opposite on three occasions by guests on Moscona’s show of so you don’t get Wade, your going to keep McMahon? Will only had one week between getting hired and the portal opening. So Vegre himself speaking about the job or others you were gooing to keep McMahon, or let him go but you didn’t have a search ready, or have any names they put forward themselves. It would have been a very tough sell to get a good list of coaches that would have wanted that job, if they didn’t want Wade they didn’t have anything else though, so in effect they are just hurting the program and university for what power?