Breaking: Will Wade Lands Commitment From International Player Marcio Santos

by Staff Reporter

May 6, 202623 Comments

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

LSU head coach Will Wade has landed a commitment from Tel Aviv forward Marcio Santos, according to multiple reports on Wednesday morning.

The Tigers reportedly beat out Kentucky for Santos' commitment.

The 6'9, 23-year-old Brazilian big averaged 6.9 points and shot 40% from the 3-point line in the Euroleague, which is the highest level of competition outside of the United States.

Earlier in the week, Wade said he would target international players to build up the roster:

quote:
"This year I'm going to lean a little heavier on the international route," Wade said. "This is the last year that some of the older kids over there will be eligible because of the clock issues. Those kids have a lot of experience, and some of the natural things they have learned over there translate in college basketball."

College basketball insider Jeff Goodman said that he recently spoke with someone who is very familiar with Santos' game and gave him a detailed scouting report:

quote:
"The first thing he said was like 'he’s a man,' like he’s been playing with men for a few years and he's light-years ahead of most of these college kids, physically."

"He's an average athlete, not a great athlete, not fast, not overly mobile, more of a power guy and more of an undersized 5 than a 4."

"But what he can do is that he can pick and pop a little bit. He’s a guy who can shoot the ball from that five-man spot. So he’s kind of an inside-out guy; he can score. He has good hands, not a great passer, but not a black hole either."

"He knows how to play, can finish, can score in the post; has some post moves...skilled offensive player, so that’s the positive."

"The negative, he can't guard. Poor defender, doesn’t move well laterally. Can get up and down a court but just can’t stay in front of anybody. He'll have an issue switching and dropping coverage as a five."

"Great kid, happy-go-lucky kid, kind of compared him to a poor man’s Luka Garza, and I say that not as big, probably not quite as good as a rebounder as Garza, but a skilled offensive player who can step out and make 3s, but just can’t really guard."

Santos joins Kentucky transfer Mouhamed Dioubate as the second player committed to play for the Tigers next year.