Why RJ Luis Becomes Most Fascinating Option, Wildcard For LSU This Season

There is a long offseason ahead for the LSU Tigers and coach Will Wade as he pieces together an unconventional roster for his first season back in Baton Rouge.

College athletics as a whole are in a state of transition when it comes to eligibility and athletes wanting to return to college after their professional careers do not take off.

Tuesday’s news centered on former Big East Player of the Year R.J. Luis' commitment to LSU after he kept his name in the 2025 NBA Draft before going unselected. He was eventually picked up on a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz but was later traded to the Boston Celtics.

Luis was later waived by the Celtics, but picked up by their G-League affiliate in Maine where he was eventually released without seeing a single second of action.

That's where his potential stint with the Tigers gets hairy because the NCAA doesn't allow players who have signed contracts with the NBA to play college basketball.

SEC rival Alabama fought for former star center Charles Bediako's eligibility in his return to the Crimson Tide last season.

After playing in five games under a temporary restraining order, Bediako was ruled ineligible when a Tuscaloosa County judge denied his motion for a preliminary injunction, handing the NCAA a rare court win in this era of athlete eligibility challenges.

Those same rules apply to football players who aren't able to return to their respective schools after going undrafted.

The NCAA certainly won't budge on approving them to come back after signing an UDFA contract, either.

Former St. John's Red Storm guard RJ Luis Jr. (12) drives past Creighton Bluejays forward Isaac Traudt (41) in the first half at Madison Square Garden. | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Luis Brings Winning Mentality to Tigers

So, the whole Luis deal becomes a "what if" situation for Wade and LSU this season as he will arguably make the biggest impact of any roster addition.

Because if he is deemed eligible, Luis gives LSU a grown man on the wing who was previously directly responsible for helping St. John's gain its spot back on the national radar under Rick Pitino.

He carried the Red Storm through one of the toughest, most physical conferences in college basketball. During his final season at St. John’s, he averaged over 18 points, seven rebounds and two assists per game while making 44% of his shot attempts, 34% from three and a respectable 75% at the free throw line.

Not only did he win the conference's most prestigious honor as player of the year, but he was among the most improved players in the country.

He was instrumental in the Red Storm's path to a Big East tournament title, No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and most wins (31) in a single season since the mid-1980s.

Scouting Report

Luis is not a volume scorer who needs a game built around him, but he's able to create for himself starting on the defensive end. He has such a long wingspan that stretches 6-foot-11 which helps him alter shots and force turnovers.

While he doesn't look like a big-time leaper in the open floor, Luis is an exciting option in transition with a variety of dunks in his arsenal.

In the halfcourt, he can attack mismatches, punish smaller guards, rebound well in traffic, and has a good feel when opponents close on him that he can find an open man dragging to the basket.

Should Luis receive his waiver, he gives Wade a late-clock option, transition finisher, versatile defender and a physical presence on the wing he can build around.

His game has an old-school, throwback feel to it as he doesn't float around the perimeter looking for an open shot. He plays through screens, cuts to the basket, and continuously forces defenses to keep an eye on him for containment.

Luis is at his best when he can put his shoulder into the chest of his defender, get downhill and draw contact. He is the type of player Wade has traditionally done well with because of his alpha-type of on-court persona.

Like most teams trying to establish who they are early on in a season, LSU is trying to put together a physically intimidating roster, and Luis will be leading the charge.

While he was superb during his last season in college, his performance against Arkansas in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament was arguably his worst in what was an overall special year. He scored just nine points on 3-of-17 field goal attempts, seven rebounds and two steals.

The Big East is one of the most physical leagues in the country each year, but there is a major difference from playing Marquette, Butler, Xavier, and Georgetown during the regular season.

SEC basketball presents one of the deepest leagues in the country, which will test the psyche of an athlete on any given night, especially an indispensable piece to a team like Luis can be for LSU.

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