LSU men’s basketball Name, Image and Likeness budget for last season was $2 million dollars, one of the lowest in the SEC, so it’s no surprise the Tigers finished near the bottom of the league standings with a 3-15 conference record.
Just like what we saw with football after the 2024 season, the NIL budget for men’s basketball has significantly grown to a reported $8 million dollars to help Coach Matt McMahon field a much more competitive team for the 2025-26 season.
LSU has signed five players out of the transfer portal.
SG Max Mackinnon from Portland. Averaged 14.5 points per game.
SG Rashad King from Northeastern. Averaged 18.5 points per game.
PF Marquel Sutton from Omaha. Averaged 19 points and 8 rebs per game.
C Michael Nwoko from Mississippi State. Averaged 6 points per game.
PG Dedan Thomas Jr. from UNLV. Averaged 15 points and 4 assists per game.
McMahon says Thomas is a huge get.
“He’s a guy that’s just so crafty and creative off the dribble, an electric point guard. So, we were thrilled to be able to beat out a lot of really good programs to bring him into the fold.”
Thomas chose LSU over Kentucky and Florida. He’s ranked as the fifth best point guard and 12th best player overall according to 247sports.com.
The five portal additions join three holdovers from last year’s team and three incoming freshmen, giving the Tigers eleven players currently on their roster.
Five of them are six-foot-nine or bigger. McMahon says that was the goal, get bigger, which is why they signed Sutton and Nwoko.
“We wanted to address the physicality and toughness that this league requires in the front court,” he said. “Obviously, the rebounding issues that we suffered from not having positional size. I really like what we’ve been able to do there and Nwoko grades out as one of the top rebounders and shot blockers per minute last season.”
McMahon says they still might add one more player.
“We still need another perimeter player that can really shoot it,” McMahon said.
LSU is reportedly interested in adding Kansas State shooting guard Brendan Hausen. He led the Wildcats in three point shooting last season at 38-percent and averaged 11 points a game in 33 starts.
