LSU Tigers head coach Will Wade is at it again.
On Tuesday, ESPN college basketball insider Jeff Borzello reported that former St. John’s (NY) Red Storm guard RJ Luis Jr. has committed to play for LSU, although his status for the 2026-27 season is very much up in the air. Last year, the 2025 Big East Player of the Year declared for the NBA Draft only to go undrafted and later sign a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz, who traded him to the Boston Celtics.
As Borzello notes, he was waived by the Celtics — then by their G League affiliate — without playing for either, a distinction unlikely to move the NCAA as it attempts to assert some control over college athletics. The institution has balked at allowing players who previously signed with an NBA team to return, including winning a judgment against former Alabama Crimson Tide center Charles Bediako earlier this year.
Bediako, however, played in 46 G League games from 2023-25, something that may work in Luis’ favor as he argues for reinstatement. For Wade, it’s a wholly unsurprising development, one that shows his willingness to bend NCAA rules, consequences be damned.
