RJ Luis Jr. remains off LSU roster as Wade pledges to follow SEC eligibility rules
RJ Luis Jr. remains off LSU’s basketball roster despite a preliminary court injunction clearing him to play this season. Coach Will Wade said LSU would follow SEC eligibility rules, leaving the former Big East player of the year’s return uncertain.
cbssports.comWill Wade hints RJ Luis Jr. won't play for LSU due to SEC rules: 'He hasn't been rostered'
espn.comLuis Jr. one of several not on LSU's roster amid eligibility concerns
Luis remains off the roster
LSU coach Will Wade said Tuesday that RJ Luis Jr. has not been added to the team’s 2026-27 roster amid eligibility concerns following his professional basketball contracts. Luis, the 2025 Big East player of the year at St. John’s, committed to LSU earlier this offseason.
“We’re going to follow all the SEC protocols with him,” Wade told reporters by video call during SEC media days. “He didn’t travel with us to McNeese, and he hasn’t been rostered.” His comments indicated Luis might not play for LSU this season, despite a preliminary injunction from a Louisiana court clearing him to compete.
Court clearance and SEC restrictions
Luis went undrafted after declaring for the 2025 NBA draft and subsequently signed contracts with the Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics. He did not appear in any regular-season NBA or G League games, but played in three NBA preseason games with Boston.
New SEC rules restrict returns to college basketball by players who previously signed professional contracts or entered the NBA draft without properly withdrawing. The conference’s penalty structure for using former professional athletes, approved in August, includes suspending the head coach for half the season and a financial penalty equal to half the sport’s operating budget.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey filed an affidavit asking the court to uphold NCAA rules preventing athletes from returning to college competition.
Other eligibility questions remain
LSU’s official roster grew from four players to 10 ahead of Tuesday’s media day, but several fifth-year and international players still face eligibility questions. Former UCLA player Donovan Dent is listed after securing court clearance for a fifth season; Skyy Clark, who also secured clearance, was not listed as of Tuesday afternoon.
Wade said he was confident in the group available for LSU’s Nov. 3 season opener. He used seven players in a 63-60 exhibition win over McNeese last week. “If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. It’s on me. I’m the one who made the decisions,” he said.
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