RJ Luis Jr. not on LSU's roster amid eligibility concerns - ESPN

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — RJ Luis Jr., the 2025 Big East player of the year who previously signed contracts with NBA teams, is not a member of LSU's 2026-27 team amid eligibility concerns, coach Will Wade said Tuesday.

Wade, who spoke to reporters via a video call after his flight to SEC media days was canceled due to dense fog, said his team will follow SEC «protocols» despite Luis winning a preliminary injunction in a Louisiana court that gave him clearance to play this season after signing multiple two-way deals in the NBA.

«We're going to follow all the SEC protocols with him,» Wade told reporters. «I think it's been pretty clear what the SEC protocols all are on that. He didn't travel with us to [our exhibition against McNeese], and he hasn't been rostered.»

That's a major development for a team already facing questions about its roster.

Wade had celebrated with Luis, a 6-foot-7 standout who averaged 18.2 points and earned second team Associated Press All-American honors during the 2024-25 season, after he won a judgment in a local court despite previously signing contracts with the Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics. He never ended up playing in an NBA game.

Multiple fifth-year and international players on Wade's roster continue to face eligibility concerns, too. Before this week, only four players were listed on LSU's men's basketball roster. That number climbed to 10 players ahead of SEC media day in Birmingham on Tuesday. The current «official» LSU roster features multiple walk-ons.

But Wade said Tuesday that he's «confident» he will have a strong roster when his squad suits up for its first game Nov. 3 against LSU New Orleans. Wade used seven players in his team's 63-60 exhibition win over McNeese last week.

«We've got a