LSU’s 2026-27 roster keeps getting more interesting, and now the Tigers have added one of the most accomplished guards available.
UCLA transfer Donovan Dent committed to LSU on Friday evening, telling Joe Tipton of On3 that he’ll join Will Wade’s team after one season with the Bruins and three earlier years at New Mexico. The 6-foot-2 point guard arrives with a résumé that includes Mountain West Player of the Year honors, first-team All-Mountain West recognition and honorable mention All-America nods from the Associated Press and USBWA.
Dent’s route to Baton Rouge only became possible after a Louisiana judge granted a temporary restraining order that gave members of the 2022 high school recruiting class who had exhausted their eligibility a chance to return for the 2026-27 season. That ruling opened the door for Dent to play a fifth college season, and LSU wasted little time moving in.
His best work came at New Mexico in 2024-25, when he put up 20.4 points and 6.4 assists per game while shooting 49 percent from the field. He was the only player in the country that season to average at least 20 points and six assists per game, a clear sign of how much he could carry an offense.
At UCLA last season, Dent shifted into more of a distributor’s role. He averaged 13.3 points, 7.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game while starting 34 games, and his 265 assists finished as the second-highest single-season total in UCLA history, behind only Lonzo Ball. He also ranked near the top of the national charts in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio, posted double-digit assists 11 times and had two 15-assist games.
His shooting numbers dipped in Westwood, including 25.4 percent from 3-point range, but Dent still showed the same traits that make him such a valuable addition: he can handle the ball, get into the paint and create for everyone around him.
That combination gives Wade a chance to blend the scoring Dent showed at New Mexico with the playmaking he flashed at UCLA. It also adds plenty of mileage to LSU’s backcourt plan. Dent has played in 139 college games and has appeared in multiple NCAA Tournaments.
There’s already a built-in connection, too. Dent will reunite with former UCLA teammate Skyy Clark, who also transferred to LSU this offseason. The two guards know each other’s games, and that familiarity gives Wade another experienced piece to work with.
LSU may not be done. The Tigers are still waiting on Monday’s preliminary injunction hearing involving RJ Luis, the former Big East Player of the Year who is seeking clearance for another college season. If Luis is ruled eligible, Wade could end up with one of the most seasoned and accomplished guard groups in the country.
For now, though, Dent is the latest big addition - and another strong signal that LSU’s first roster under Wade is taking shape fast.
In Other News...
Jayden Daniels Finally Addressed The LSU Dispute As Week 1 Nears
Jayden Daniels finally got his first preseason snaps with the Washington Commanders in a loss to the Detroit Lions, a small but meaningful step as he shifts from camp work to game preparation. Even with the NFL spotlight starting to sharpen, Daniels has had one off-field issue lingering in the background: a legal dispute with LSU over the use of his name, image and likeness, tied to the school assigning his former jersey number to another player.
Daniels has now addressed the matter and, for the moment, his focus is where the Commanders need it most, on getting ready for the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. For LSU fans who followed his rise closely, the dispute adds another layer to a quarterback era that still resonates, even as Daniels moves deeper into his professional routine. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Running Back Battle Just Took A Turn Fans Didnt Expect
LSUs preseason camp has already started sorting out a few competition lines, and the running back room has been one of the most interesting to watch. Redshirt sophomore transfer Stacy Gage has been running ahead of junior Caden Durham on the depth chart, but a recent full-contact scrimmage reminded everyone that the picture is far from settled. Durham worked with the first team and broke off some significant runs, while Dilin Jones opened as the No. 1 back before leaving the scrimmage and not returning.
The bigger takeaway for LSU is that the Tigers are still testing combinations all over the field, not just at running back. The starting offensive line has been taking shape, the second team has seen movement, and even the defensive backfield is showing some tweaks, with Jhase Thomas getting work ahead of Tamarcus Cooley at safety. For a staff trying to build clarity before the opener, the backfield battle now looks like one of several places where camp could keep shifting right up until the final week. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Saban Just Reinforced Why LSU Recruiting Never Slows Down
Nick Sabans latest reminder of why Louisiana matters in football circles traces back to the early 1990s, when he was an assistant with the Cleveland Browns and Bill Belichick asked him to figure out which state produced the most NFL talent per capita. The answer, Saban said, was Louisiana, and that view of the state as a deep well of football ability helped shape why he later took the LSU job. He has long tied that kind of talent base to what made recruiting in Baton Rouge feel different from other stops in his coaching career.
For LSU, the broader point is simple: the pipeline never really shuts off. The Tigers have stayed in the top 10 of recruiting classes in recent years, and Sabans remarks only reinforce the idea that Louisiana gives the program a built-in edge before the work even starts. Even as coaching staffs change and the recruiting landscape keeps shifting, LSU continues to benefit from being in one of the countrys most productive talent pools. [Read more 🡒]