LSU Basketball: Tigers Gain Commitment From 4-Star PG Curtis Givens

Matt McMahon and LSU basketball are making serious noise on the recruiting trail after landing a commitment from the No. 5 point guard in America: Curtis Givens.

The No. 33 overall prospect in the 2024 class revealed his pledge to the Tigers on Saturday over Memphis and others.

For McMahon and Co. to reel in a player of Givens' caliber is a monstrous get with the Tigers now bringing in their floor general for the foreseeable future.

“We’re really excited with where we are at but no one remembers who finishes second. We really have to do a good job going into the early signing period and finishing strong," McMahon said last week.

"This is the first high school class where we’ve gotten to recruit them for the length of time it takes to get high level players. We have to do a good job of finishing strong.”

Now, Givens joins Top 40 2024 prospect Robert Miller III as the pair of pledges to the Tigers. McMahon is on a roll early as he continues hitting the recruiting trail with force.

BREAKING: Matt McMahon and #LSU secure a commitment from the No. 5 point guard in America: Curtis Givens.

The No. 33 overall player in the 2024 class is a Tiger.

McMahon and Co. add a critical piece to the future of this program. pic.twitter.com/zBcuBmX2C7
— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) October 7, 2023

The Other 2024 Star Commitment: Robert Miller III

The 6-foot-10 forward is one of the most intriguing players in the 2024 class with his combination of height and length. The physical tools Miller attains gives him the chance to be impactful on both ends of the floor, giving McMahon a dynamic two-way player moving forward.

It’s easy to label Miller as “raw” given the various ways the Tigers can mold his game, but he’s extremely skilled for his size. A player who has worked with former NBA talent TJ Ford, he’s helped bring Miller’s game to that next level.

Miller has taken strides in the right direction with his scoring ability, rim protection and ball handling as he becomes a more complete player.

There’s much to like about what Miller can become on the defensive end of the floor, but for now, he’s a bucket-getter. A player who can get his from all three levels, there’s intrigue in what the dynamic scorer can do in McMahon’s system.

LSU lacked that “go get one” player last season, and after adding various talents via the Transfer Portal this offseason, they’ll likely find their go-to guy in 2023-24. Fast forward to next year and the Tigers will have instant offense in Miller.

He’s a player who has shown advancements in his deep ball while polishing his midrange and paint production. The long, 6-foot-10 frame makes him a tough player to slow down. The SEC recently saw Auburn’s Jabari Smith become a lethal three-level scorer and Miller has an opportunity to become effective as one as well while his game develops before making the move to Baton Rouge.

The Significance of the Pledge

McMahon and Co. were in search of another statement commitment. They were searching for a big fish in the 2024 class to get LSU fans excited about men’s basketball once again, and after landing players of Miller and Givens' caliber, it has LSU buzzing.

The Tigers are surging on the recruiting trail. Along with Miller revealing his pledge last month, it jump started a mega-recruiting stretch for this program.

LSU hosted five-star center Derik Queen, four-star Gicarri Harris, four-star Nic Codie and four-star Rakease Passmore for official visits in September.

McMahon and his coaching staff are on a mission to bring the men’s basketball program back to life and landing players of Miller and Givens' caliber is key in building LSU back up once again.