By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
LSU basketball coach Will Wade got his judge and his man … for now.
Baton Rouge 19th Judicial District Judge Ronald Johnson ruled on Monday night that former St. John’s star forward RJ Luis is eligible to play for the Tigers in the 2026-27 season as a senior despite signing contracts with two NBA teams after leaving St. John’s following the 2024-25 season to enter the NBA Draft.
Luis went undrafted, but later signed with the Utah Jazz. Then Jazz soon traded him to Boston, who cut him to end his NBA career at the time, never having played in a regular season game. At St. John’s, Luis was the Big East Player of the Year in the 2024-25 season as a junior, averaging 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds. He signed with Wade and LSU last May 19.
After more than five hours in court on Monday with Luis, Wade and LSU assistant athletic director Heath Schroyer present, Johnson at about 6:30 p.m. granted Luis the preliminary injunction regarding a lawsuit by Luis against the NCAA.
Luis won despite a lawsuit viewed as weak based on precedent, and even LSU athletic department officials said last spring that the chances of him playing for the Tigers was a long shot. But LSU, Luis and his attorney, Elliot Abrams, a veteran of NCAA cases based in Raleigh, North Carolina, wanted to try. They based part of their argument on the fact that Luis never played in a regular season NBA game and had injury issues.
But scores of college players historically have not been able to return to college after only signing with an NBA pro team and never playing in a regular season game, either because of injuries or lack of ability, or both. NCAA rules clearly state that it does not allow collegiate players who have signed NBA contracts to return to college play, whether they played in NBA regular season games or not.
“The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract,” NCAA president Charlie Baker said last December, regarding other players and programs attempting similar ploys as Luis and LSU.
The NCAA can request a stay to delay the ruling or pursue other options, such as an appeal.
Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey took a strong stand against Luis playing at LSU with a statement from his office on Monday.
“College athletes, not former professional athletes, have been at the heart of the Southeastern Conference,” his statement read. “Individuals who choose to leave college athletics, sign professional contracts and compete professionally should not then be permitted to return to college competition. Allowing that to occur will blur the line between college and pro sports, create significant competitive equity concerns and reduce opportunities for high school and current college athletes. College sports are for college athletes.”
Sankey previously vehemently went against LSU’s move through an affidavit letter to Johnson two weeks ago in preparation for the Monday hearing.
Sankey said that such a move by LSU “fuels disruption,” stopping it is “essential to the integrity of college sports,” and if allowed would undermine the “fundamental principles” of college sports and “limit the opportunities of high school athletes everywhere trying to be college athletes,” Sankey said in the affidavit.
“These rules are grounded in the principle that athletics are an integral part of the academic experience,” Sankey wrote. “The rules align the time permitted for college athletics with the pursuit of an undergraduate education and further the important purpose of preserving opportunities for future student-athletes to participate in college sports.”
Sankey took a similar stand against Alabama and center Charles Bediako when he tried to return to Alabama last season after Bediako had signed with the NBA and played in its developmental league following his career at Alabama from 2021-23. But Alabama also got a friendly local judge for a temporary restraining order that allowed Bediako to play briefly last January before the judge later reversed his decision amid pressure from Sankey and the NCAA.
“Permitting former professional athletes to return to competition creates a competitive disadvantage and fundamental unfairness for current student-athletes who have not pursued a professional sports career,” Sankey said at the time.
But at this time, LSU and Wade have a very talented player to add to a roster that is suddenly very talented with the addition of a pair of UCLA guards – Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark – over the last week. Each also are eligible for the 2026-27 season because of recent judge’s rulings.
Be the first to comment