RJ Luis' Attempt to Return to College Basketball Makes Sense But Must be Stopped

The former St. John's standout is justified in his reasoning to try to return to the sport

Mar 22, 2025; Providence, RI, USA; St. John's Red Storm guard RJ Luis Jr. (12), guard Kadary Richmond (1) and teammates on the bench during the second half of a second round men’s NCAA Tournament game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Amica Mutual Pavilion. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The attempt of a return to college basketball for RJ Luis was met with a ton of criticism, and rightfully so.

Luis said goodbye to the sport when he declared for the NBA Draft following his Big East Player of the Year campaign at St. John’s in 2025. But his decision didn’t have to be as narrow as he made it.

After being benched in St. John’s loss to Arkansas in the Round of 32, he also entered the transfer portal while declaring for the draft but paid very little attention to the interest he was receiving in the portal. Luis was solely focused on making it in the NBA despite the millions he was offered as a transfer.

The decision backfired as Luis was not picked in the draft and signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz but did not play in Summer League due to injury. He was traded to the Boston Celtics and played during the preseason but was eventually waived due to injury as well and didn’t play the entire season.

It’s left him with very few options entering the 2026-27 season and an attempt to return to college basketball, although unlikely as he faces many legal hurdles to try and get eligible, makes sense as he can try and prove he can compete in the SEC at LSU with the hopes of boosting his NBA Draft stock in the future.

If he is deemed ineligible, Luis will have a major uphill battle to try and make the NBA, needing to sign with a team for Summer League in Las Vegas and make an immediate impact. He would then need another strong performance in training camp in hopes of making an NBA roster or getting the chance to shine in the G-League.

If all else fails, he could try and join a club overseas.

Given the money in college basketball, and the chance to remain in the national spotlight, college basketball gives RJ Luis the best option to try and revitalize his career. It makes complete sense for him to try to explore this possibility and will have backup options if he cannot clear the eligibility requirements set by the NCAA.