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Saliou Niang, former NBA Draft pick, cleared to compete for LSU, which has given up RJ Luis Jr. eligibility fight: Reports

LSU men’s basketball will welcome international signees Salious Niang and Brice Dessert to its roster for the 2026-27 season, as both are expected to be eligible. Niang, who was selected in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft, will join the team under NCAA eligibility rules.

The Tigers have confirmed that Dessert will join Niang under the same eligibility timeline.

Niang’s addition comes as LSU has given up on RJ Luis Jr.’s eligibility fight, ending his bid to play for the program this season. The SEC denied Luis’s fifth-year eligibility request, upholding its policy that bars players who have signed NBA or G-League contracts from competing.

Despite this, Luis, who went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft, will not be part of the roster for the upcoming campaign.

LSU head coach Will Wade, now in his second stint at the helm of the program after previous stops at McNeese and NC State, will lead a team reshaped by these eligibility outcomes. The clearance for Niang and Dessert ensures the Tigers will have two new international contributors ready for the 2026-27 season.

The program’s focus now shifts to preparing for the new roster while navigating the fallout from Luis’s ineligibility.

The SEC’s eligibility rules created a clear dividing line for LSU’s roster construction. While Niang’s path to eligibility was secured through his international signee status, Luis’s case highlighted the conference’s enforcement of its policies.

The outcome leaves LSU with a roster built around incoming talent rather than extended eligibility for experienced players, setting the stage for a transitional season ahead.

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