LSU head coach Will Wade has hit the ground running after being hired as coach Matt McMahon’s successor in Baton Rouge in March.
Wade was a controversial appointment as his previous stint as the Tigers coach between 2017 and 2022 ended with his termination due to recruiting violations and misconduct.
Now, Wade is ruffling feathers after trying to sign former St. John’s guard RJ Luis Jr., who is ineligible after signing a two-way contract in the NBA. One top-20 head coach didn’t mince words while discussing this move.
Top-20 Coach Calls Out LSU’s Will Wade for RJ Luis Jr. Move
Luis went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft, but then signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Boston Celtics and a two-way NBA contract with the Utah Jazz, so he is ineligible to play college basketball.
However, that didn’t stop Wade from trying to get around NCAA rules and sign Luis, with the hope of fighting for one more year of eligibility.
After Luis signed with LSU, one top-20 head coach texted his thoughts on the situation to “Field of 68″ college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman.
“You’re being an idiot a**hole for the sake of being an idiot a**hole,” the coach wrote to Goodman. “What you’re doing is f**king it up for everyone else.”
Goodman was also critical of the move, calling it “absolutely ridiculous” and “a complete mockery of whatever NCAA rules are left.”
“I get it, people are trying to push the limits, but this is absolutely ridiculous what Will Wade is doing.” – @GoodmanHoops
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— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) May 19, 2026
Luis started his college basketball career with the UMass Minutemen before transferring to the St. John’s Red Storm. In his last collegiate season, he thrived under coach Rick Pitino and was named the Big East Player of the Year and earned second-team All-American honors after leading the Red Storm to a Big East title and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
In 35 games played for the Red Storm that season, Luis averaged 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds in 32 minutes per game.
The NCAA has rules in place to stop players who have signed professional contracts from returning to college basketball, although former Alabama center Charles Bediako tested those rules when he obtained a temporary restraining order that allowed him to play for the Crimson Tide after previously playing in the NBA G League and signing a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs.
A federal judge denied Bediako a preliminary injunction, ending his brief sojourn back into college basketball after five games. According to Sports Illustrated’s Kevin Sweeney, Luis is expected to file a lawsuit to fight for his eligibility.
“Just so it’s clear, the NCAA sent out guidance last week that, among other things, stated again that student-athletes who’ve ‘entered an agreement with, competed on or received compensation from’ NBA teams will not have eligibility reinstated. LSU’s only chance here is lawsuit,” Sweeney wrote.
After nine players from LSU’s 2025-2026 roster entered the transfer portal, Wade aggressively hit the portal, landing former Michigan State guard Divine Ugochukwu, UTSA guard Austin Nunez, Kansas State guard Abdi Bashir Jr., and Kentucky forward Mouhamed Dioubate.
