MBB Preview- It's time to Boot Up

Warning: long read

I know most of us have our attention on the journey to being the first two loss team in the CFP. (It’s happening) However, year 2 of the McMahon era kicks off on Nov 6 so I thought I'd do a little preview for tiger fans who may not have been keeping up with the hoops team. As a disclaimer, I’m not “Team Wade” or “Team McMahon,” I'm just rooting for my team to get back to winning and I’m going to try to be as realistic as possible in this preview. After watching our team go 2-16 in conference play last year, there is still plenty to be excited about for this new season. The SEC media has picked this team to finish second to last in the conference which is very reasonable. However, our ceiling could be much higher, and I'll explain why here soon.



Notable Players Lost:
KJ Williams (17.7 ppg, NBA Draft)
Adam Miller (11.5 ppg, Transfer, Arizona State)
Cam Hayes (8.1 ppg, Transfer, East Carolina)
Justice Hill (5.6 ppg, Transfer, Loyola Marymount)
Shawn Phillips Jr (1.4 ppg, Transfer, Arizona State)
Parker Edwards (LSU Legend)

To quickly talk about the players lost: Of this list the most important is KJ Williams of course. The efficient all 2nd team SEC center was our highest scorer in 60% of games played last year, so replacing his production will be a challenge for us. Adam Miller was definitely the biggest disappointment after all the hype he was getting in the offseason. While being our second highest scorer, he was highly inefficient and did not meet expectations of being that star guard/sharpshooter we needed. Cam Hayes and Justice Hill played big roles but were just not SEC level guards in hindsight. The freshman Shawn Phillips definitely showed flashes of being a good rim protector in the future, however we were unfortunately just unable to keep him. No words needed for the GOAT Parker Edwards. If you know you know.



Notable Players Gained:
Jalen Cook (19.9 ppg, Transfer, Tulane)
Jordan Wright (10.6, Transfer, Vanderbilt)
Will Baker (13.6 ppg, Transfer, Nevada)
Daimion Collins (1.9 ppg, Transfer, Kentucky)
Carlos Stewart (15.2 ppg, Transfer, Santa Clara)
Corey Chest (Freshman 4 Star F)

McMahon has done a very good job of revamping this roster for year 2, adding needed scoring, defense, and most importantly experience. After such lackluster guard play last year, we have much to look forward to in this year’s backcourt. We have to start off with LSU’s prize pull of the transfer portal, Jalen Cook. Cook was receiving interest from teams like Kansas, Gonzaga, Alabama, Auburn and more and we still got him to return home to LSU. Cook can flat out score the rock at all three levels and can also be a facilitator when needed. He was recruited by Will Wade to be an SEC guard, and I think there will be no question on if his game will translate over into the SEC. The big question is whether or not he will be able to get a waiver to play for this upcoming season. McMahon has stated plenty of times that he thinks Cook’s case for a waiver is unique and a good one, so we’ll just have to wait until the NCAA feels like making a decision. Hopefully it comes before the start of the season because Cook is the biggest factor in just how much LSU will be able to win this year.

Bringing home two more Baton Rouge natives in Jordan Wright and Carlos Stewart should also not be overlooked. Jordan and Carlos were both teammates at one time right here in Baton Rouge at the Dunham School. Jordan was a big contributor for last year’s Vanderbilt team that just missed the NCAA tournament after a late season surge. Adding a veteran and three level scorer from the SEC is big for us after last year’s scoring woes. Wright can also get after it defensively. Last year he had a total of 139 steals and 34 blocks by the end of the season. Adding a four-year conference player that’s capable of giving you 10+ points a night is a big win in my book. Carlos Stewart is another very skilled guard. He excels at creating his own shots and pulling up off the dribble. Another guy that prides himself in playing defense and can handle the rock when needed. Like all mid-major transfers, we have to hope that his skillset will transfer over into the SEC, but I think Stewart coming off the bench with Hannibal to replace Cook and Wright could be a very good rotation. One of the biggest themes of success in college basketball is good guard play, and last year it was just flat out horrible. We should see a substantial jump in quality of guard play this year with our newcomers.

Now for our rotation at forward. Mwani Wilkinson is just a tried-and-true tiger. He’s been through all the ups and down of this program for the last four years and has decided to stick it out. There is no doubt we missed Wilkinson’s 3&D presence last year after he went down. He will surely be a big part of our rotation and if he doesn’t start, I’m sure he will find his way into the closing lineup because of his defense and ability to hit shots. For Tyrell Ward, I’m expecting a huge leap in year 2. In fact, to me, one of the most exciting things about the offseason was being able to retain both Tyrell Ward and Jalen Reed, two top 100 players in last year’s recruiting class. It took a little time for McMahon to start playing Ward last year, but there were times when he displayed some raw NBA talent. From the jumpshot, to being able to handle the ball as a wing, to the athleticism, it’s safe to say that Ward will be a big part of our program moving forward. Jalen Reed is another player with a lot of potential. Reed is a mismatch at the 4 spot, being able to handle the ball and blow by defenders the way he does. He is also able to stretch the floor for us. Next up is Derek Fountain. Every team needs that one reliable glue guy and Fountain will be that for us. He proved last year to have a great motor and is a terrific rebounder. He does the dirty work and will be pivotal in our rotation. Corey Chest, the 4-star freshman, is very athletic however I’m not sure just how much he will play in year one. He may need some time to develop before he sees major action.

And now our two bigs. Will Baker, the transfer from Nevada, will be a nice offensive addition and will provide a cushion for the loss of KJ Williams when it comes to scoring. McMahon loves his scoring big men and I think Baker fits right in the system. However, I would love to see Baker make a jump defensively and in his rebounding numbers here at LSU. The addition of Damion Collins from Kentucky is one at the top of my list. It was a nice surprise when it was announced over the summer that the former McDonald’s All-American was transferring to LSU. While his stats may not scream star, it is important to note that Collins found himself stuck on the bench behind Oscar Tshiebwe for the last two years. Tshiebwe has been one of the nation’s most dominant big men in recent years. Collins has raw five-star talent and I’d recommend going to watch some of his highlights. The freak athlete will be a great rim-protector for us, and if he can keep developing his jumpshot, then watch out.

**** See the first reply for the second part.