News: LSU Hires Matt McMahon As Head Basketball Coach

Tigers bring in longtime Murray State coach to take over program with uncertain future

LSU has found its next leader of the men's basketball program. The Tigers will hire Murray State's Matt McMahon to take over a program that faces a very uncertain future according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. 

McMahon is from that same cloth as former coach Will Wade several years back as a mid major coach looking to make the jump to a bigger program with more resources. Over his seven seasons at Murray State, McMahon had a 154-67 record, leading the Racer's to three NCAA tournament appearances, including a Round of 32 appearance in 2018-19 led by point guard Ja Morant.

“It was essential for us to hire a coach with a winning standard of performance, as well as the consistency and character to elevate our men’s basketball program to new heights,” athletic director Scott Woodward said. “Matt is exactly what we were looking for. His vision for our program and his values as a leader align perfectly with ours as an institution, and he has a proven track record of identifying talent, developing student-athletes, and building championship basketball programs. We are excited to welcome, Matt, Mary, and their three children to Baton Rouge, and we are ready to work together to write the next championship chapter for LSU Basketball.” 

Morant went on to be a No. 2 overall pick and is one of the NBA's brightest young stars, pointing to McMahon's ability to find hidden gems in recruiting. Bringing in a coach who has a great track record of finding really good players who aren't necessarily "highly touted" recruits is a positive for a program that will be looking to rebuild.

LSU has already lost signees Julian Phillips, Devin Ree and Marvel Allen and the assumption is the current roster is likely to be gutted as well. How McMahon  approaches the transfer portal and talent in upcoming class will say a lot about just how far the Tigers fall in the first few years.

Moving this quickly on a new coach is likely a smart move in terms of getting on the phone with the current players and trying to convince them about potentially sticking it out. The Tigers have a lot of young talent including, Efton Reid, Brandon Murray, Alex Fudge, Eric Gaines, Justice Williams and Adam Miller. 

McMahon makes a ton of sense as a still young head coach who will be able to relate to players while also having the ability to keep this ship from completely sinking.  

“I want to thank President Tate, Scott Woodward, and Stephanie Rempe for the incredible opportunity to be the next head basketball coach at LSU,” McMahon said. “My family and I are extremely excited to join the Baton Rouge community and lead the LSU Basketball program forward. I look forward to building relationships with our current players and recruiting elite student-athletes to LSU, and I’m excited to join the best athletic department – and the most iconic brand – in all of college sports. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me, and I cannot wait to get to work.”