How Will Wade's Roster Could Be In Jeapordy With the NCAA's Newest Proposal

The NCAA is ever-changing with its new rules, acts and legislation. The most recent proposed one, the Protect College Sports Act, will not just affect the new LSU men's basketball roster but destroy it.

As Will Wade returned to the Bayou State during the offseason as head coach, he has been hard at work constructing a new roster for the program, opting to take the international route. And he was successful, with four elite international players planning on joining the Tigers.

But with the act being proposed last week, the overseas stars might have to put their plans on hold, putting Wade's constructed roster in jeopardy.

Eligibility Restrictions

LSU men's basketball head coach Lane Kiffin — Mar 5, 2022; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Will Wade reacts to play against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Proposed by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO), the act is aimed at "stabilizing college athletics" while resolving antitrust, NIL and transfer chaos. Everything that the NCAA allowed to slip right by in the past couple of years.

In resolving antitrust, the act includes a strict five-year cap on college eligibility, a resolution that has been a long time coming. Each year, the NCAA finds a new stack of cases from athletes wanting to extend their collegiate eligibility due to injuries, playing time, transfers, etc. By the act being firm for the five years, there will be no more questions and no more expectations.

While it could make a lot of lives easier, it will make Wade's a nightmare, putting a huge target on his international recruits. Even though some of them have never stepped foot on a college court, the NCAA starts the clock for basketball players one-year after their high school graduation date or when they turn 19, whichever comes first.

Each year that these talented players spent playing in the Euroleague, a year was taken off their college eligibility. For the Tigers, that means Saliou Niang, Márcio Santos, and Yam Madar would lose their eligibility the second the act is passed.

He would still have younger talent to rely on from both transfer students and international players, but not for that long. They may be in their "prime" by being older and more developed in their age, but that could limit their time with the Tigers under the new eligibility rules.

Professional Player Restrictions

LSU men's basketball coach Will Wade — Mar 2, 2022; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Will Wade looks at Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Eric Musselman during the second half at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 77-76. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Unfortunately, if the act does get passed, eligibility isn't the entire concern. The part of the act that bans athletes from competing in collegiate athletics if they had previously earned professional compensation will be unavoidable for the international roster.

And once again, it doesn't matter if the professional compensation came from an American League or an international league, making every single one of Wade's overseas stars qualify and be banned from playing at LSU.

So essentially, if the act gets passed, Wade could spend the rest of the offseason doing what he just finished: making a roster. But this time, he must either attack the portal or start looking at the only athletes that could play with him for at least a couple of years: high school recruits.

For now, it's a waiting game, with a hearing to be held on Wednesday morning. LSU fans can only hope Wade's unorthodox roster approach can survive and bring new talent to the men's basketball program.

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