LSU clears Niang, Dessert; Luis ruled ineligible — SkimNews
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- RJ Luis will not be cleared to play at LSU after the SEC upheld its rule blocking college return for players who signed pro contracts, ending Will Wade’s months-long effort to secure his eligibility.
- LSU has accepted the SEC’s decision on RJ Luis, with coach Will Wade confirming the player did not travel to McNeese and is not rostered, marking the finality of his exclusion.
- Saliou Niang, a 2025 NBA Draft pick who never played in the league, was cleared by the NCAA to play for LSU because his commitment predated the new eligibility rule, allowing a non-retroactive exception.
- Brice Dessert, a 7-foot French center, will also be cleared to play for LSU, as he does not violate any SEC rules and meets the NCAA’s criteria for eligibility despite prior professional experience.
- The SEC maintained firm legal grounding on eligibility rules, refusing to bend after previously blocking two football players under similar circumstances, signaling consistency in enforcing its policy.
Why it matters: LSU loses a high-profile guard in RJ Luis, but gains two impactful international players in Niang and Dessert who clear eligibility hurdles due to timing and contractual distinctions. The outcome reinforces the SEC’s strict enforcement of pro-to-college return rules while giving Wade a functional, tournament-caliber roster if other eligibility cases like Skyy Clark’s are resolved.
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