With the 2026-27 college basketball season just over a month away, LSU is the team facing the biggest questions regarding player eligibility and its roster. The Tigers have just four players listed on their team roster, and time is running out to ensure the other 11 players first-year coach Will Wade recruited this offseason will be able to play. Former Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis Jr. is perhaps the most polarizing player Wade recruited this offseason because of his situation and the SEC's stance on professionals returning to the college level.
Wade, who spoke to reporters for the first time since practice opened earlier this week, said they will "abide by what the SEC tells us to abide by" regarding Luis, who wasn't mentioned directly. "Talk about whoever you want to talk about, outside of one because, you know, the SEC, they hold everybody's words against them," Wade said on Wednesday when asked about his roster. "So I want to be careful about not doing anything with that.
But outside of that one, I think everybody knows who I'm talking about. ... We're going to abide by what the SEC tells us to abide by. We're not trying to do anything untoward towards any of that.
So we're going to go through processes. We'll see where that ends up." Luis passed up a chance to return to college last offseason and instead stayed in the NBA Draft, despite being projected to go late in the second round. Luis wasn't drafted, but signed a two-way deal with the Utah Jazz before being traded to the Boston Celtics before the season started.
Luis appeared in three preseason NBA games with Boston but did not play in a regular-season game in the NBA or G League due to an injury. As of Wednesday, Luis is eligible to play after a Baton Rouge judge granted him a preliminary injunction last month, clearing the way for him to play this season. However, if what transpired earlier this month with Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris at LSU is any indication of how this could play out, Luis' chances of actually suiting up appear slim.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has been outspoken about Luis' case and filed an affidavit asking the court to uphold NCAA rules that prevent athletes from returning to the college level. The SEC also drafted new rules that prevent players, like Luis, who previously declared for the draft or signed a professional contract, from returning to college. During his 23-minute-long press conference, Wade was asked about a variety of topics, ranging from his roster to March Madness viral student manager Amir Khan re-joining him at LSU after Wade's one season at NC State.
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