LSU men’s basketball is entering the new season with a roster shape that would make most coaches sweat. Will Wade, though, sounded more amused than rattled on Wednesday as he addressed a team that, at least publicly, still shows only four players on its online roster.
Wade opened his first media session since his re-introductory press conference with a joke about LSU spending the last couple of months practicing two-on-two. It set the tone for a conversation that mixed humor, confidence and a clear sense that this group is being built differently from the usual college model.
“What we’re doing is unconventional. I understand that,” Wade said.
“But, you know, 20 years ago, Airbnb was unconventional. Everybody stayed in a hotel.
Fifteen years ago, you rode in a taxi everywhere. Now you take Uber.
“Just because it’s unconventional, [it] doesn’t mean it’s not going to work,” he continued.
Wade said the roster is full with 15 players, though three or four are dealing with eligibility issues. He also made it clear he’s comfortable with the attention that comes with a roster made up of former international pros, fifth-year transfers who recently gained another year of eligibility and former G-League players.
“When you do stuff that’s unconventional, they’re waiting for you to fail,” Wade said. “Everybody’s waiting for us to fail.
That’s fine. If we fail, I own it.”
The coach said the team’s different backgrounds have already started to come together. LSU held a retreat about two and a half weeks ago, and Wade said the players spent time sharing stories and building stronger connections.
“We’ve got really good people. You win with good people,” Wade said.
LSU has been practicing since Sept. 2, though Wade said the full roster still won’t be released just yet. He noted that the eligibility situation remains unsettled for “three or four” players.
On the perimeter, LSU looks loaded. Wade said the backcourt and wing spots give the Tigers a chance to score against almost anybody, and he’s encouraged by what he’s seeing offensively.
Donovan Dent appears set to start at point guard after putting up 13.3 points and 7.6 assists per game last season at UCLA. Wade compared him to former Tiger Tremond Waters and described him as an unselfish player.
Skyy Clark, another transfer from UCLA, will push for a starting role after averaging 11.5 points per game last season. Wade praised his shooting and his command.
“Skyy can shoot the ball, shoots it really, really well from three,” Wade said. “Skyy’s got great leadership.
He’s got great command for what we’re doing. He’s just got a really good way about him.”
RJ Luis is expected to start at either shooting guard or small forward if he is eligible. He was the Big East Player of the Year at St.
John’s in the 2024-25 season, but Wade was careful not to mention him at the press conference because of that eligibility situation. Luis also played multiple games in the NBA G League after signing NBA contracts.
“The SEC, they hold everybody’s words against them, so I want to be careful about not doing anything with that,” Wade said with a smirk. “We’re gonna abide by what the SEC tells us to abide by.”
LSU’s depth on the wing and in the backcourt also includes Kentucky transfer Mo Dioubate, Italian commit Saliou Niang, UTSA transfer Austin Nunez, Michigan State transfer Divine Ugochukwu and Kansas State transfer Abdi Bashir Jr. Dioubate and Niang can play both in the frontcourt and backcourt, and Wade said Dioubate’s experience across every position in SEC play will be useful. Ugochukwu has been working back from an injury, but Wade said he’s trending in the right direction.
“Divine’s really coming on,” Wade said. “He’s been coming back from an injury, but I feel like Divine’s somebody that’s going to be a very good player for us as well at the guard position.”
Inside, the roster leans heavily international. Gilad Levy played professionally in Israel, Brice Dessert played in Turkey and France, and Michael Ruzic is coming from Spain. Wade said Dessert is likely to start at center.
“They all bring something different,” Wade said. “They bring some much needed height, some much needed physicality. Ruzic’s more skilled, Brice is much more around the basket … They’re all three really good players, and will be guys that help us quite a bit this year.”
Dioubate may spend as much time at power forward as he does at small forward, giving LSU a domestic presence alongside the international frontcourt pieces. Wade said that could matter in practice, especially because defensive rebounding is the team’s biggest issue right now.
That leaves Levy, Ruzic and Jordan Bender as depth options. Bender is the only high school commit in the class and will provide help once he adjusts to the college game.
Marcio Santos, a Brazilian with professional experience overseas, was expected to join the team, but Wade said that is no longer the case.
LSU’s first chance to see how all of this fits together comes in an exhibition at McNeese on Oct. 8, though Wade said even that game might not feature the final roster. The Tigers open the season Nov. 3 at home against LSU New Orleans.
“We’re here to build a winner for LSU and Louisiana,” Wade said. “That’s who my responsibilities are to. [I] really don’t give a damn about anybody else.”
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