Mo Dioubate didn’t need a long sales pitch to land at LSU.
The Kentucky transfer said his connection with Will Wade had been building for a while, dating back to Wade’s time at NC State, when the coach tried to recruit him once before. By the time Wade reached out again in the portal last offseason, Dioubate already knew the fit.
“He was trying to recruit me last year when he was at NC State, and I was in the transfer portal,” the senior said, smiling. “I wasn’t trying to go to NC State.
I went to Kentucky (but) we kind of had that relationship a little bit. So it wasn’t a hard decision.
It’s Baton Rouge.”
Now the 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward is the latest SEC stop for one of the conference’s most traveled players. Dioubate played his first two college seasons at Alabama before spending last year at Kentucky, where he averaged 8.8 points on 54.2% shooting, along with 5.5 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals in 21.6 minutes per game.
Dioubate spoke to “SEC Now” on the SEC Network during the conference’s media day Tuesday and said the appeal went beyond the coach recruiting him twice. He pointed to the city, Wade’s direct approach and the style his teams have shown over the years.
There’s also a different feel around LSU’s roster this season, one that Dioubate says has the group “fired up.” Wade’s collection of players has drawn attention because of eligibility questions, including the coach recently saying he hasn’t rostered former St.
John’s standout RJ Luis. But Dioubate said the group inside the program has stayed focused on basketball.
“We have a full team, we practice together every day,” Dioubate said. “It just felt like forever since I played an actual basketball game. Guys are fired up, we have a lot to prove, and I felt this year is gonna be a good year for us.”
For Dioubate, the biggest adjustment has been getting comfortable with new teammates and a new staff. That process, he said, came easier because he was Wade’s first commitment on April 20.
“I’ve been adjusting pretty well though,” he said. “Me being one of the first recruits that they had, I adjusted really early. I understand everything that was going on.”
LSU already got an early look at what he can bring. In Thursday’s 63-60 exhibition win over McNeese State at Townsley Law Arena, Dioubate showed more than just his reputation as a tough defender. He knocked down 1 of 2 from 3-point range, attacked off the dribble and finished with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, eight rebounds and one block in 34 minutes.
“Everyone knows me as the hustle guy,” the forward said. “The guy who plays hard, a guy who can guard almost any position on the court.
This year, coach Wade has allowed me to play on the perimeter a little more. He let me play a little loose.
Come off ball screens at times.”
LSU’s next chances to keep building are right around the corner, with Central Florida visiting Wednesday before the Tigers go on the road to face Florida State on Oct. 24.
In Other News...
LSU's Bigger Worry After This Win Is Hard To Ignore
LSUs exhibition win over Central Florida offered a useful snapshot of where Will Wades roster stands heading into the season: capable of scoring, competitive even while short-handed, but still waiting on the kind of full lineup that can make the Tigers hard to judge. The 85-81 result came with LSU using fewer players than it expects to have once the regular season begins, and senior transfer Abdi Bashir Jr. helped carry the offense with 26 points while point guard Donovan Dent added 21 points and 11 assists.
The broader concern is less about the result than the unfinished nature of the roster this close to November 3. Wade said he is hopeful LSU will have additional players cleared by the NCAA before the opener, which would change both the depth chart and the way this team can be evaluated. Until then, the Tigers are left leaning on a thin rotation and waiting to see whether the version they roll out for the regular season looks anything like the one fans expect to watch. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Mississippi State Outlook Suddenly Hinges On One Huge Unknown
The first injury report for LSU and Mississippi State added an immediate layer of uncertainty to an already important SEC matchup, with both sides dealing with notable absences and a few names still hanging in the balance. LSU already knows it will be without Trey'Dez Green and Whit Weeks, while Tylen Singleton is listed as questionable, leaving the Tigers to sort through depth issues before kickoff.
For Mississippi State, the spotlight lands on quarterback Kamario Taylor, whose foot injury has him questionable heading into Friday. His status is the biggest variable in the game and the one that could shape how the Bulldogs approach LSU, making the next update feel especially important for both teams as they prepare for a meeting with plenty still unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Showed Promise But One Late Issue Still Looks Costly
UCF came away with plenty to like from its exhibition trip to the Maravich Assembly Center, where the Knights pushed LSU deep into the closing minutes before falling 85-81. Dior Johnson led UCF with 18 points in a game that stayed tight throughout, while LSU leaned on Abdi Bashir, who finished with 26 to help keep the Tigers afloat when the action tightened.
What stood out for LSU was not just the scoring punch, but the way the game settled into a late-possession fight, exactly the kind of stress test both teams wanted in October. UCF had enough shot-making to stay level, yet one costly late sequence swung the result, leaving the Knights with encouragement and a reminder that the smallest mistakes can decide these exhibition games. [Read more 🡒]