LSU Basketball Receives Commitment From Washington Transfer Bryan Penn-Johnson
Will Wade and LSU basketball added the final piece to the 2020 roster on Saturday when Washington transfer Bryan Penn-Johnson announced he'd be committing to the Tigers for the upcoming season.
"I would like to thank all of the coaching staffs that have reached out and recruited me during this difficult process," Penn-Johnson wrote in a social media post. "After discussing with my family and loved ones, I have decided that I will be transferring to LSU."
Penn-Johnson will apply for a waiver to become immediately eligible for LSU this season. The addition of Penn-Johnson, should he be granted a waiver by the NCAA, fills a position of need for the Tigers this season.
Wade and company have searched for months for a big man that can provide rebounding and rim protection to the team. For awhile, it looked as though highly touted center Moussa Cisse would be an option after he decided to reclassify to the 2020 class.
Cisse ultimately decided to stay in-state and commit to the hometown Memphis Tigers and Penny Hardaway.
LSU was also left in a bit of a bind when Bradley Ezekiel, a center that the Tigers initially had signed to be a part of the 2020 class, decided to reclassify to the 2021 class. With the addition of Penn-Johnson, the Tigers receive some depth in the front court that should contribute early.
As a redshirt freshman for Washington a season ago, Penn-Johnson averaged 1.8 points and 0.8 rebounds in six appearances. Even with Penn-Johnson’s commitment, LSU’s depth in the front court is up in the at the moment.
The Tigers also have big man Josh Gray committed to the class but he has yet to officially sign with the program. UCLA transfer Shareef O’Neal is also on board but is more of a natural power forward that’s a floor spacer because of his shooting ability.
The depth of the LSU front court will widely be dependent on what underclassmen Darius Days and Trendon Watford decide to do. Both have until Aug. 3 to decide if they want to keep their names in the NBA Draft after declaring after the season.
