2026 Prospect Jordan Bender Announces Commitment to LSU Tigers

The LSU Tigers basketball program is going for round two with head coach Will Wade. After one season with the NC State Wolfpack, Wade couldn't refuse the opportunity to return to Baton Rouge.

In his second stint with the program, Wade is trying what some would say is an unorthodox approach to building his roster. However, if it works, it could be a blueprint for the rest of the sport.

On Thursday morning, ESPN college basketball insider Jeff Borzello reported that the Tigers and Wade have added another piece to the roster just ahead of the 2026 season.

Come On Down

2026 prospect Jordan Bender has committed to LSU, source told ESPN. 6-foot-8 left-handed forward played for Marreese Speights at Northside Christian School (Florida) this past season. pic.twitter.com/DfagPNmvCp
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) June 18, 2026

Borzello has reported that the Tigers have received a commitment from Jordan Bender. Bender is a six-foot-eight prospect who played for Florida Gators great Marreese Speights last season at Northside Christian School in Florida.

Bender currently doesn't have a recruiting ranking on any of the major sites, but it does appear that his impact will be felt this season for the Tigers.

LSU head coach Will Wade yells about a call he disagreed with while standing next to assistant coach Kevin Nickelberry during a game against Alabama in Coleman Coliseum on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. Alabama Defeats Lsu 88 82 | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK

Before the addition of Bender, the 2026 recruiting class for the Tigers ranked 14th in the SEC. The Tigers are leaning on NBA G-League talent and overseas talent in Wade's first season back on the bench.

It's a new era of college sports, and if it's allowed, why wouldn't teams go find players who have pro experience? As stated earlier, if the construction of this roster turns out to be successful, more coaches will follow in Wade's footsteps, or the NCAA will once again pretend that things are not okay, even though they allowed them to happen.

Real Expectations

Tigers fans will be learning a lot of new faces for this upcoming season. Aside from the four new players in the recruiting class, Wade is bringing in four new transfers from the transfer portal.

Guard Austin Nunez, guard Abdi Bashir Jr., guard Divine Ugochukwu, and forward Mouhamed Dioubate will take the floor for the purple and gold this season. Dioubate may be a familiar name to many as he has spent time with the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Kentucky Wildcats.

So, what should fans expect from this team this season? Honestly, it feels unknown at the moment. There's plenty of experience on this roster, but meshing everyone together will take time. Wade has been successful in every stop of his coaching journey, so fans should trust in him to have built a strong roster in his anticipated return to the program.

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