LSU’s latest offseason twist may have tilted R.J. Luis Jr. back into the Tigers’ plans, at least for now.
A temporary injunction has made Luis eligible to play for LSU without punishment from the SEC, according to reports from Toyloy Brown III of The Advocate. That’s a major shift after Luis had been ruled ineligible under conference rules that said players who had previously signed professional contracts could not compete in the SEC.
Luis’ situation drew scrutiny because he signed undrafted NBA contracts with the Boston Celtics and Utah Jazz, though he never appeared in an NBA game. Now, the court ruling is sidestepping that conference restriction for the moment.
LSU opens its season Tuesday against New Orleans, and it remains unclear whether another ruling will come down before tipoff. As things stand, it looks likely that Luis will be available for the Tigers.
The SEC is expected to push back, especially after the remarks Luis’ attorney made following the Wednesday ruling.
"LSU may be intimidated by ‘Kim Jong’ Sankey, but we're not," Luis Jr.'s attorney Tony Clayton told Brown.
That line landed as both a swipe at LSU and a much bigger shot at SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey and the conference itself.
For LSU, the whole offseason has been defined by that kind of turbulence - roster controversy, eligibility disputes and a parade of court decisions. And this one may not be the last chapter.
If Luis does stay eligible, LSU is adding a proven high-level piece to the mix. The former Big East Player of the Year at St. John’s appeared in 85 games with 52 starts across three college seasons, averaging 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 43.9 percent from the field.
He would join a roster that already includes Donovan Dent, Abdi Bashir Jr. and Mo Dioubate, giving LSU what could be one of the SEC’s most intriguing lineups if this ruling holds.
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