McMahon has the basketball program poised to make a quantum leap next season

There might be something special brewing on the bayou as LSU men's basketball is beginning to emerge as a competitive program and ready to take the next step into the top third of the Soon to be 16 team conference. The next two seasons will be crucial ones as the nascent Matt Mahon program begins to step up its recruitment and lay the foundation for long term success with high school recruiting and strategic management of the transfer portal while retaining his own core group that have shown promise.

McMahon has recruited program builders rather than likely one and done players. With a long term contract he can afford to develop players and allow the program to seek its level in a steadily progressive manner. The high school recruits of his first two classes are beginning to assert themselves. Tyrell Ward, Jalen Reed and Mike Williams are growing each game. Hopefully Corey Chest will become the force a lot of people believe he can be. The two high school recruits are highly rated. and if he can add a couple more 4 stars in late signing a solid foundation will be there .

We cannot always project the minds of 20 year old athletes but it seems the players have bought into McMahon's system and he wont lose any key players to the portal. Hopefully Daimon Collins gets healthy and lives up to his 5 star rating. With a better team around him maybe Jalen Cook wont feel the need to shoot the teem back into many games and plays more in flow, Derek Fountain continues to provide leadership and character to the program. Wilkinson transfers to a lower level, possibly back to Will Wade.

Tyrell Ward said something interesting when being interviewed by Chris Blair and John Brady after his game winner against Kentucky. H said he is pleased that he had continued to develop under the coaches instead of transferring like players often choose to do when they dont get instant results. That attitude will influence others to be patient and we are also seeing Reed begin to emerge,


If McMahon can bring in a hammer or two from the portal like Mark Sears , Dalton Knecht or Tari Eason to combine with the core group this program will easily be a top 25 program.

Prediction for next season: 23-10, 12-6 SEC and third place in the league. and will win a game and maybe two in the NCAA playoffs.