LSU just gave its backcourt a major jolt.
The Tigers have landed a commitment from UCLA transfer guard Donovan Dent, according to On3’s Joey Tipton. Dent was recently awarded another year of eligibility after a court ruling in California, and he now gives Will Wade’s second stint in Baton Rouge a proven high-level piece to build around.
Dent won’t be walking into LSU alone, either. He’ll join former UCLA teammate Skyy Clark, who committed to the Tigers earlier this month while also working toward another year of eligibility.
On the floor, Dent brings real production. At UCLA last season, he appeared in 35 games and started 34 of them, putting up 13.3 points and 7.6 assists per game while helping the Bruins reach the NCAA Tournament as a No. 7 seed. That kind of résumé makes him an instant centerpiece for LSU.
Before his year at UCLA, Dent spent his first three seasons at New Mexico, where he established himself as one of the Mountain West’s top guards. In 2024-25, he averaged 20.4 points and 6.4 assists for the Lobos and was named Mountain West Player of the Year.
That’s a huge late-offseason addition for LSU, especially given the uncertainty hanging over parts of the roster. Dent gives the Tigers a player who can score at all three levels, run the offense, work off the ball and lean on a lot of experience. Barring something unexpected, he should be in the starting lineup from day one.
Wade had already hinted that the roster would come together with depth pieces later in the process, but Dent is a much bigger swing than that. Still, the coach made clear earlier this spring that the program intended to spend most of its resources on a core group of players.
"One thing I'm focusing on here is we're really going to pay seven or eight guys at LSU this year, and we'll fill out the back half of the roster with some guys who could help us in a pinch. But we want to put our resources into those main guys," said Wade.
With several prior commitments tied up in international eligibility uncertainty, LSU has been left sorting through some moving parts. Dent’s arrival should at least steady things considerably.
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