We've spent the entire offseason talking about how LSU built this roster, and understandably so. But as we get closer to the start of the season, there hasn’t been much talk about what that roster may actually look like on the court.
That's understandable given the way LSU seems intent on pushing the boundaries of NCAA eligibility at every turn. Will Wade has assembled a roster featuring almost exclusively European professionals and fifth-year players whose eligibility became possible through the courts. The SEC adopted new eligibility guidelines this week based on former Cleveland Browns tight end Dae’Quan Wright attempting to “transfer” to LSU’s football team. Yet, the conference made sure to include basketball-specific language in response to what Wade is trying to push through, specifically with former St. John’s star RJ Luis.
That process has swallowed the actual basketball evaluation. Ask about LSU right now,, and you're more likely to get an argument about eligibility rules or a joke about the latest court filing than an answer about whether the Tigers can guard anybody.
I'm not particularly interested in relitigating how we got here or what may happen next. Things are changing by the hour right now, so one assumption may prove moot by the time you read this.
However, I wanted to do a strictly basketball evaluation of what Wade plans to put on the court opening night (after all, they’ve shown a willingness to go to the actual court to get their way) and why I think the Tigers are being underrated.
