By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
Apparently, the media members who regularly cover the Southeastern Conference are not buying the lofty promises or the heavily amended roster of new LSU coach Will Wade.
“Our time is now,” Wade said at his introductory press conference on March 30 before a raucous crowd at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center after leaving the North Carolina State job following one season. “One way or another, we’re going to make history. I came here to win. We’re going to win immediately.”
And over the weekend, Wade’s official roster for the 2026-27 season grew to 10 with pictures and everything after featuring only four for the entire summer.
Breaking! LSU basketball roster finally grows from 4 to 10 officially on athletics website. https://t.co/ukWOHNRA7C
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) October 13, 2026
There were also 10 on a roster released to the media on Oct. 8 before LSU won, 63-60, at McNeese State in an exhibition game, but the LSU website’s roster remained at four until the weekend.
But also on Monday, the Tigers were picked to finish 14th out of 16 teams by SEC media members, going into the SEC Tip-Off 2027 press conferences in Birmingham, Alabama, on Tuesday. That’s just one spot higher than the Tigers were picked last season under coach Matt McMahon, who was fired after a 15-17 (3-15 SEC for 16th) season that followed a 14-18 (3-15 SEC for 15th) season the previous year.
Wade’s team was voted to finish better than only Mississippi State and South Carolina in the SEC, and no players were named All-SEC. But the media voters may have missed Wade’s roster suddenly growing to 10. LSU did not release the news of the roster addition.
“We’re about to be loaded up,” Wade promised of the incoming additions to his roster after the win over McNeese on Oct. 8. “We’ll have a couple more next week and then another couple more. After that, we’ll be hell on wheels, so get ready.”
Wade will be at the main podium on Tuesday at 9:35 a.m. in Birmingham to talk more about it, and he will be on the SEC Network at 10:50 a.m. The Tigers host Central Florida at 7 p.m. Wednesday in an exhibition game.
The official LSU men’s basketball roster for 2026-27 currently on the LSU website follows. There could be as many as five more additions before LSU opens the regular season on Nov. 3 against LSU-New Orleans at home. Wade has been practicing with 15 players, but five have eligibility issues at the moment:
LSU BASKETBALL 2026-27 ROSTER (10)
NAME, HT., WT., POS. CLASS, PREVIOUS COLLEGE OR PRO TEAM, HIGH SCHOOL, AGE
-ABDI BASHIR JR., 6-5, 170, Guard, Senior, Kansas State, Phoenix Prep, Phoenix, Arizona, Age: 22
-JORDAN BENDER, 6-8, 200, Forward, Freshman, Northside Christian, St. Petersburg, Florida, Age: 18 – added Oct. 8
-DONOVAN DENT, 6-2, 185, Guard, Senior, UCLA, Centennial High, Corona, California, Age: 22 – added Oct. 8
-MOUHAMED DIOUBATE, 6-8, 235, Forward, Senior, Kentucky, Putnam, Queens, New York, Age: 22
–BRAD FIFE, 5-10, 150, Guard, Freshman, Catholic High, Baton Rouge, Age: 18 – added Oct. 8
-AUSTIN NUNEZ, 6-2, 175, Guard, Senior, Texas-San Antonio, Wagner High, San Antonio, Texas, Age: 23
-STRAKE PEARSON, 7-0, 234, Center, Freshman, IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, Prosper, Texas, Age 19 – added Oct. 8
-MICHAEL RUZIC, 7-0, 160, Forward, Freshman, Joventut pro team, Catalonia, Spain, Age: 19 – added Oct. 8
-LUKE STANSBURY, 6-2, 185, Guard, Redshirt Freshman, Stephen F. Austin, Age: 21 – added Oct. 8
-DIVINE UGOCHUKWU, 6-3, 200, Guard, Junior, Michigan St., Clements High, Sugar Land, Texas, Age: 20
Skyy Clark, a fifth-year senior guard who played at UCLA last season, appeared on the LSU roster for the McNeese State game, but he did not play and is not on the official roster now on the LSU website as he is still facing eligibility issues. Austin Nunez was mistakenly not listed on the roster for the McNeese game as he is recovering from a foot injury. He is on the official roster now.
LSU POSSIBLE ROSTER ADDITIONS AWAITING NCAA CLEARANCE (5):
-SKYY CLARK, 6-3, 210, Guard, Senior, UCLA, Montverde Academy, Montverde, Florida, Age: 23 – on roster at McNeese game, but awaiting eligibility clearance
-BRICE DESSERT, 6-11, 247, Center, Freshman, Andalou Efes pro team, Istanbul, Turkey, Age: 23 – awaiting eligibility clearance
GILAD LEVY, 7-3, 242, Center, Freshman, Palencia pro team, Palencia, Spain, Age: 24 – awaiting eligibility clearance
-RJ LUIS, 6-7, 215, Guard/Forward, Senior, St. John’s, Christopher Columbus High, Miami, Age: 23 – awaiting eligibility clearance
-SALIOU NIANG, 6-6, 190, Forward, Freshman, Virtus pro team, Bologna, Italy, Age: 22 – awaiting eligibility clearance
The only player on LSU’s roster or that Wade is trying to get on the roster who was not at the McNeese game was Luis, who has the highest eligibility mountain to climb. He signed with two NBA teams after playing his last college season in 2024-25 at St. John’s. He received a preliminary injuntion from a Baton Rouge judge to join the team, but is considered a long shot to ever play for the Tigers. The SEC office has taken a strong stand against any players who have signed with NBA teams to join member teams.
SEC MEDIA PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1.Florida
2.Texas
3.Arkansas
4.Tennessee
5.Alabama
6.Vanderbilt
7.Kentucky
8.Missouri
9.Texas A&M
10.Auburn
11.Georgia
12.Oklahoma
13.Ole Miss
14.LSU
15.Mississippi State
16.South Carolina
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