What Each Front Court Departure Means for LSU Basketball
The mass exodus continues for this LSU basketball program with the Tigers losing both Alex Fudge and Mwani Wilkinson to the transfer portal Friday afternoon. After the departure of the two rotational pieces, it brings the grand total to 11 Tigers electing to take their talents elsewhere for their college careers, mercifully putting an end to the Will Wade era.
Head Coach Matt McMahon has only been on the job for roughly two weeks with the Bayou Bengals, making a few additions of his own, but it’s certainly been an eventful stretch as most of the Tigers rotation has hit the road.
Here’s a summary of who LSU has lost to this point and what it means for this program:
Shareef O'Neal
A fan favorite for the Tigers due to his legendary father, Shaquille O’Neal, Shareef’s short stint in Death Valley didn’t quite go as planned. Battling the injury bug for much of his time at LSU, it limited his production significantly.
Averaging just 2.9 points and 2.1 rebounds a night in 14 appearances, O’Neal couldn’t quite make an impression with the Tigers. A former top-50 recruit who has the tools to become an impact player, the loss of O’Neal certainly hurts this program.
As he looks for his next destination to finish out his career, O’Neal’s high ceiling could have numerous suitors calling his phone. Certainly an ideal NIL candidate, O’Neal has the chance to make an impact elsewhere while earning quite the payday at the same time.
Efton Reid
The seven-foot blue chip recruit had a rollercoaster freshman campaign under Will Wade’s LSU Tigers. Really growing into his own towards the end of the year, Reid began to showcase his dynamic playstyle.
Starting in all 34 games for the Tigers, averaging just 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game on 50% from the field, Reid’s up and down season led to many believing he would enter the portal whether Wade returned or not.
Despite an inconsistent season, the loss of Reid puts the Tigers in a bind at the big man position. A player with an incredible ceiling, it shouldn’t take long for Reid to find a home where he can continue developing his game. Having all the tools it takes to become an NBA prospect; Reid’s growth will be important at his next destination.
Jerrell Colbert
Just a freshman this season, Colbert saw the floor in just four games this year. A big-man with potential to be a true rim protector as his career goes on, the Tigers planned on using him as a piece alongside Efton Reid.
Colbert’s production was limited in year one, but with the footwork he already possesses, the long-term potential of his is something the LSU program could use. Putting his name in the portal, the former three-star recruit will surely have several teams pushing to land him this offseason.
Bradley Ezewiro
The third big man to put his name in the portal this week, Ezewiro looks to take his talent elsewhere to continue his collegiate career. Playing in just seven games this season, the freshman certainly got his feet wet in year one.
The three-star Oak Hill product chose the Tigers over USC, Arizona State and a few other top-notch programs. With a growing skillset and making strides in the right direction while at Oak Hill and his lone season in Baton Rouge, the Tigers lose a big man who has the tools to develop into a dominant big man given his frame and footwork.
Alex Fudge
The expectation is that Fudge was eventually going to enter the transfer portal and take his talent elsewhere. A player who is just scratching the surface, his length and athleticism already has him on the radar of NBA executives.
Seeing the court sparingly this season, his tools are what has NBA scouts so intrigued about his long-term potential. With Fudge likely putting his name in the portal next, the Tigers lose a player who has NBA talent written all over him, continuing to put this roster in shambles.
Mwani Wilkinson
For Wilkinson, the Bishop Gorman product took strides in the right direction during his sophomore season under Will Wade. Becoming a shooting threat at over 40% from three, his percentages from the corner in particular led to Wilkinson’s growth that began during the offseason.
With his future undecided, the loss of Wilkinson would be the cherry on top as it would bring this growing number of departures to 11. Wilkinson brings a dynamic playstyle to the floor and the loss of him would force McMahon to dig even further into the transfer portal to find another athletic, crafty playmaker.
Final Thoughts
The Tigers 2021-22 roster was clearly set up to be dominant in the near future. With a myriad of underclassmen really taking control of this team at a young age, this core had the makings to be a force in the SEC.
Now, the focus shifts to rebuilding for the future as Coach McMahon’s first offseason at the helm of LSU basketball gets underway. Already signing two prospects via the transfer portal, McMahon is continuing to work in order to get this program back on the map. A rocky start thus far, he understood the challenges this program would face given the uncertainty surrounding their future.
