A lot has been made out of Will Wade's rebuilding job for the LSU men's basketball team, with his new roster featuring a host of older, international players and multiple players with eligibility questions.
But if you ask former LSU coach and current color commentary John Brady, the criticism seems a bit hypocritical. Speaking on WWL this week, Brady pointed to the rest of the NCAA, where team after team has pursued international players with pro experience. It only seems to be an issue when Wade does it.
"Will is very comfortable in what he’s doing," Brady said. "He says he knows it’s pushed the envelope, but he says 'everybody else has one or two foreign players. I get five or six that are pretty good and everyone is throwing their arms up in the air and criticizing it, but it’s within the rules."
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Brady added that Wade said his expectation is that all of his current players will be deemed eligible, though it could come down to the wire with RJ Luis. The former St. John's player and Big East Player of the Year went undrafted in 2025 and signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz before being traded to the Boston Celtics. He was cut and signed to the Celtics G League affiliate, but never appeared in a game.
Pro players entering the college ranks has been a major talking point, another set of twists and turns in an NIL era that seems to just get more and more confusing. Luis' situation is similar to that of Charles Bediako, who appeared in multiple games for Alabama last year before being ruled ineligible. Murkey eligibility cases and questions will likely become the new normal for college leagues.
"]Wade is] really comfortable with what it is," Brady continued, "and going overseas, you can get those players cheaper than you can ones in the United States these days. You know, these cats that are point guards and big guys, the average is $1.5-2 million for those types of players. Overseas they’re not getting paid that much and you can get them at a cheaper price and may be just as good as the guys you get prime dollar for, so I think that’s changed it a little bit as well."
Time will tell just what Wade's first LSU roster will look like in his return to Baton Rouge. He was hired this offseason, three years after being fired from the same role amid an investigation into recruiting violations. Wade resurfaced at McNeese State for two seasons, leading the Cowboys to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearance, before coaching one season at NC State.
