LSU Basketball

Highly touted college basketball prospect Julian Phillips has reopened his recruitment after originally committing to play at LSU.

According to Joe Tipton of On3.com, Phillips said the following regarding his decision Friday:

I would first like to say thank you to Coach [Will] Wade and the staff for giving me the opportunity to play at Louisiana State University. Thank you also to the fans and everyone along the way who gave their endless support. But due to the recent changes within the staff, I have been granted my release from the university and will be reopening my recruitment. I look forward to the journey of finding a new home.

Phillips' announcement came less than a week after Wade was fired as head coach of the LSU men's basketball team. His firing came on the heels of the NCAA levying five Level I violations against the program in a notice of allegations.

Per 247Sports, Phillips is a 5-star recruit who ranks as the No. 12 overall player and No. 2 power forward in the class of 2022.

The 6'8" forward from Branson, Missouri, officially signed with LSU in November, choosing the Tigers over USC, Florida State and Tennessee, according to Tipton.

Those schools will presumably be back on the radar for the Link Academy star in the coming weeks.

Phillips is the second significant LSU recruit to de-commit in less than a week, as Devin Ree announced Sunday that he was re-opening his recruitment due to "uncertainty" surrounding the program following Wade's firing:

pic.twitter.com/oRDX5CPw6v

— pluto🖤 (@whois_Dev) March 14, 2022

Ree is rated by 247Sports as a 4-star prospect, the No. 82 overall player and the No. 20 small forward in the 2022 class. 

With Phillips and Ree out of the picture, LSU is left with Yohan Traore as its lone remaining 2022 commit. Traore is a 5-star recruit and the No. 15 overall player and No. 4 center in the 2022 class, according to 247Sports.

LSU has been a program on the rise in recent years, reaching the NCAA tournament each of the past three times it has been held.

The bad news regarding Phillips came on the same day LSU will face Iowa State in the first round of the NCAA tournament with Kevin Nickelberry serving as the interim head coach.

The LSU men's basketball team has fired head coach Will Wade, and Kevin Nickelberry will take over as the interim coach, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.

The news came after the NCAA served LSU a Notice of Allegations that outlined allegations of violations within the program under Wade, which were first reported by Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated.

LSU received its Notice of Allegations from the NCAA earlier this week — and in Will Wade’s contract, it states the school can fire him without penalty if he’s charged with a Level 1 or Level 2 violation. As @JonRothstein reported, the school has now parted ways with Wade.

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) March 12, 2022

According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Wade was hit with "multiple Level 1" allegations. 

The LSU Notice of Allegations includes "multiple Level 1" allegations tied to Will Wade. pic.twitter.com/R8nvSgrG9B

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 12, 2022

More allegations tied to Will Wade. "Violated the principles of ethical conduct and provided impermissible cash payments to the former fiancée of a student-athlete in order to buy her silence regarding prior and current impermissible inducements to student-athletes..." pic.twitter.com/Ypk9qxCA1k

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 12, 2022

The 39-year-old Wade coached at LSU for five seasons after spending two at Chattanooga and two at VCU. This year's Tigers team has gone 22-11 overall and is projected to be a No. 6 seed in the NCAA tournament according to Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report's latest bracketology report.

Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated, who relayed a detailed rundown of the allegations, summarized the findings against Wade:

In total, Will Wade was cited for:
- five Level I violations
- obstructing an investigation by concealing evidence
- Unethical conduct
- Cheating was planned/schemed/purposeful#LSU pic.twitter.com/aSSIe1c8fc

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) March 12, 2022

Investigations into Wade originally stemmed from the FBI's ongoing investigation into corruption in men's college basketball. Forde provided more context when word of the NOA for LSU broke earlier this week.

LSU officials did not acknowledge receipt of the NOA when contacted by SI on Tuesday. The NOA originated from the Complex Case Unit of the Independent Accountability Review Process—the so-called off-ramp for more complicated and contentious NCAA investigations. If coach Will Wade is charged with a major violation, he could be terminated with cause, according to a contract amendment he agreed to in April 2019. Wade’s attorney, Steve Thompson, did not immediately respond to a call from Sports Illustrated.

The most notable allegation involving Wade then was in response to comments made during a wiretapped conversation with ex-college basketball middleman Christian Dawkins regarding payments for ex-LSU guard Javonte Smart.

Forde, Thamel and Dan Wetzel, who all worked for Yahoo Sports at the time, provided the exclusive on March 7, 2019.

Dude, I went to him with a [expletive] strong-ass offer about a month ago. [Expletive] strong.

The problem was, I know why he didn't take it now, it was [expletive] tilted toward the family a little bit. It was tilted toward taking care of the mom, taking care of the kid. Like it was tilted towards that. Now I know for a fact he didn't explain everything to the mom. I know now, he didn't get enough of the piece of the pie in the deal.

Wade was suspended indefinitely after the report dropped, but LSU reinstated him in mid-April after meetings with school and NCAA officials. LSU athletic director Joe Alleva released this statement, per ESPN's Jeff Borzello.

Coach Wade met Friday with University and NCAA officials. During those meetings, he answered all questions and denied any wrongdoing in connection with recently reported allegations of irregularities in college basketball recruiting.

The University regrets that Coach Wade did not choose to fulfill his obligations to LSU when he was first asked to do so. However, the seriousness of the allegations and Coach Wade's prior refusal to refute them could not be ignored without exposing the University and basketball program to great risk. Protecting LSU and preserving our integrity must always be our first priority. Coach Wade's explanations and clarifications offered during the meeting, absent actual evidence of misconduct, satisfy his contractual obligation to LSU.

However, Wade found himself in more trouble in August. NCAA documents obtained by ESPN's Mark Schlabach stated that Wade "arranged for, offered and/or provided impermissible payments, including cash payments, to at least 11 men's basketball prospective student-athletes, their family members, individuals associated with the prospects and/or nonscholastic coaches in exchange for the prospects' enrollment at LSU."

Ultimately, Wade's LSU career ended after the Notice of Allegations. He went 108-53 in Baton Rouge and led the Tigers to the NCAA tournament on two occasions, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2019.

The NCAA has sent a notice of allegations to LSU in regards to allegations of violations within the men's basketball program under head coach Will Wade, per Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated.

The allegations stem from the FBI's ongoing investigation into widespread corruption in the sport.

Per Forde:

LSU officials did not acknowledge receipt of the NOA when contacted by SI on Tuesday. The NOA originated from the Complex Case Unit of the Independent Accountability Review Process—the so-called off-ramp for more complicated and contentious NCAA investigations. If coach Will Wade is charged with a major violation, he could be terminated with cause, according to a contract amendment he agreed to in April 2019. Wade’s attorney, Steve Thompson, did not immediately respond to a call from Sports Illustrated.

Forde, Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel (then all of Yahoo Sports) reported in 2019 that the FBI intercepted a 2017 conversation between Wade and ex-basketball middleman Christian Dawkins in which the coach discussed a "strong-ass offer" for ex-LSU guard Javonte Smart:

Dude, I went to him with a [expletive] strong-ass offer about a month ago. [Expletive] strong.

The problem was, I know why he didn't take it now, it was [expletive] tilted toward the family a little bit. It was tilted toward taking care of the mom, taking care of the kid. Like it was tilted towards that. Now I know for a fact he didn't explain everything to the mom. I know now, he didn't get enough of the piece of the pie in the deal.

"They ain't talking about a scholarship offer, bro," Dawkins said on the HBO documentary The Scheme (via Forde). "One hundred percent talking about money.”

LSU suspended Wade indefinitely in March 2019:

LSU issues statement on Will Wade allegations pic.twitter.com/eUGky4BhC5

— Matt Moscona (@MattMoscona) March 8, 2019

Wade was reinstated the following month after meetings with school and NCAA officials.

In August, ESPN's Mark Schlabach reported more allegations against Wade from the NCAA, which stated that he "arranged for, offered and/or provided impermissible payments, including cash payments, to at least 11 men's basketball prospective student-athletes, their family members, individuals associated with the prospects and/or nonscholastic coaches in exchange for the prospects' enrollment at LSU."

As for next steps, Forde reported:

LSU now has several weeks to file a response to the charges. The CCU will file its own response and a hearing will be held with a ruling thereafter. Those steps in the laborious process will likely take several months, but the ruling would be final. There is no appeal built into the IARP.

All this is going down as LSU appears destined for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report listed the Tigers as a No. 6 seed in his latest projection Tuesday.

LSU will next play in the SEC tournament as the No. 5 seed. It will face the winner of Ole Miss vs. Missouri in the second round Thursday.

Marvel Allen is going to be playing college basketball for LSU starting with the 2023-24 season.  

Allen, a 5-star Class of 2023 recruit, revealed his commitment to Joe Tipton of On3 Recruits on Friday and explained why he chose the Tigers:

[Head coach Will Wade] and [assistant head coach Kevin Nickelberry] have been to two of my games already. They both flew down to see me play in person. No other coach has done that. They were just keeping in contact with me, and they were actually talking to my parents every day. Not one day went by where they didn’t talk to me or my parents. Through all the games that I didn’t play well, they still showed the same support. I just felt like it was love. Me and my family prayed over it and we felt like this was the best decision.

It’s a reality now, as a kid I would dream about playing Division 1 basketball and now I’m living it. I’m just ready to get to work.

Allen is considered one of the best players in the 2023 recruiting class. He's a 5-star prospect, the No. 4 point guard and 18th-ranked player overall, per 247Sports' composite rankings. 

Attending Calvary Christian Academy in Florida, he is a 6'4" point guard who has been one of the most sought-after prospects. He has received offers from programs such as Kansas, Ohio State, Florida, LSU and several others. 

Speaking to Eric Bossi of 247Sports, Allen explained how he views his role on both ends of the court:

As a guard you want to keep everybody happy. Sometimes I have to take the responsibility to do that and know that I may not score as much. But I know that if I do that and make an impact defensively then overall as a team we can come up with some great accomplishments and if you are looking out for your teammate, it will help you out.

Allen will bring that mindset to the Tigers as they pursue a national title with the star guard running the offense.

"I’m coming in to start," Allen told Tipton regarding his Tiger future. "I can play the one or two, it doesn’t really matter. LSU plays team ball, and they share the ball well."

LSU is enjoying an excellent 2021-22 season, going 15-1 through 16 games and currently sitting No. 12 in the Associated Press Poll.

Wade appears to have turned the program around, and adding star players such as Allen will only help the Tigers remain a national powerhouse in the future.

In a battle of SEC contenders, LSU made its case to be considered the conference's front-runner.

Thanks to a an excellent defensive effort, a balanced complement of scorers and a wild finish, the Tigers knocked off Kentucky in Baton Rouge on Monday night, 65-60.

CHAOS IN BATON ROUGE 🔥

No. 21 LSU takes down No. 16 Kentucky with a wild finish‼️ pic.twitter.com/6UhtwUQxQz

— ESPN (@espn) January 5, 2022

Things got hairy late. LSU went on a 17-3 run in the second half and held a nine-point lead with 2:25 remaining. Kentucky then went on a 8-0 run to cut the deficit to one with 27 seconds remaining.

On the very next possession, it looked as though the Wildcats registered a steal, only to immediately give the ball back to the Tigers for a dunk. Kentucky then turned the ball over again, LSU got another easy bucket and the game was over.

It was a big win for the 13-1 Tigers after last week's loss to Auburn. Kentucky (11-3) saw its four-game winning streak snapped, meanwhile.

It was a tough result for Kentucky, who was less than 100 percent. TyTy Washington Jr. was clearly hobbled throughout the game, while Sahvir Wheeler left early on after taking a hard screen and didn't return.

Regardless, it will feel like a missed opportunity in an SEC that is loaded with talent. Arkansas, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky all pose a threat. But at the moment, it looks like a race between LSU and Auburn.

---

Key Stats

Tari Eason, LSU: 13 points, six rebounds, three assists

Darius Days, LSU: Nine points, seven rebounds

Xavier Pinson, LSU: 11 points, four assists

Kellan Grady, KY: 13 points

Jacob Toppin, KY: 14 points, eight rebounds

Davion Mintz, KY: 16 points

---

Toppin and Grady Did Their Part

With leading scorers Oscar Tshiebwe and Washington having a tough night (13 combined points, 6-of-18 from the field), the Wildcats need other players to step up.

Toppin did his part in the first half, keeping Kentucky within striking distance while showing off his tantalizing potential.

Jacob Toppin single-handedly carrying Kentucky in the first half. Not something I expected to tweet today.

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) January 5, 2022

This is the second game, against the second-best team that Kentucky has played, where Jacob Toppin *looks* like he belongs more than anyone else.

1. Shut down Paolo Banchero vs. Duke
2. Best Wildcat on the floor against LSU.

Again, argue me if you want, but it's true

— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) January 5, 2022

JACOB TOPPIN. OH MY 😱 pic.twitter.com/44GrZUbNMS

— ESPN (@espn) January 5, 2022

There was so much going on in this sequence 😳 pic.twitter.com/aWxurQYkLi

— ESPN (@espn) January 5, 2022

He went cold in the second half, but Kellan Grady stepped up, sinking four three-pointers in the frame to drag a struggling offense throughout the final 20 minutes.

Without that duo, this game wouldn't have been close on a night that saw Kentucky shoot just 36.2 percent (21-of-58) from the field.

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Tari Eason Just Keeps Producing

LSU's leading scorer came off the bench and led the way again for the Tigers, scoring four crucial points down the stretch to help seal this win.

On a night that saw Darius Days struggle to find his stroke (3-of-12 from the field), Tari Eason and Xavier Pinson helped pick up the slack.

Eason's playmaking and defense continue to make him a crucial cog for this talented Tigers squad. He helps LSU in all phases.

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What's Next?

Kentucky hosts Georgia on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. LSU hosts Tennessee that same date and time on ESPN2.

An LSU letterman jacket worn by "Pistol" Pete Maravich during his standout college basketball career with the Tigers sold for $116,924 at auction over the weekend.

Scott Rabalais of The Advocate reported Monday the auction of Pistol Pete memorabilia from both his college and the NBA days held by Arizona's Grey Flannel Auctions netted $160,000, led by the jacket's six-figure sale.

Circa 1969 "Pistol" Pete Maravich LSU Tigers Letterman Jacket (Maravich Family LOA) 🤯 #JustConsigned #AuctionPreview #TheHobby #ComingSoon pic.twitter.com/kHQCbYDnbr

— GreyFlannelAuctions (@GF_Auctions) October 25, 2021

Maravich is Division I basketball's all-time leading scorer with 3,667 career points. He achieved the record despite only playing three years of varsity basketball and prior to the creation of the three-point line. He put up an astonishing 44.2 points per game.

The king of the highlight reel, who was coached by his father Press Maravich at LSU, won the Naismith Trophy as college basketball's top player in 1969-70. He was also named a consensus All-American and the SEC Player of the Year in all three of his seasons with the Tigers.

His No. 23 was retired by the program, which still plays in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Maravich, the No. 3 overall pick in the 1970 NBA draft, went on to enjoy a successful pro career. He earned five All-Star selections and won the league's scoring title in 1976-77.

He died in January 1988 at the age of 40 because of heart failure, but his legacy has endured the test of time.

LSU power forward Shareef O'Neal tweeted Friday that he has not been fully cleared to return from a stress fracture in his foot but that he'll be back soon.

https://twitter.com/SSJreef/status/1466838861447942146

O'Neal revealed earlier in the week that he was set to receive scans on his injured foot, which forced him to miss the final 12 games of last season.

https://twitter.com/SSJreef/status/1466201514544926723

O'Neal's father is Basketball Hall of Famer and former LSU star center Shaquille O'Neal.

The younger big man has persevered through numerous ailments to keep his basketball career alive. He started his college career at UCLA, and it was discovered that he had a right anomalous coronary artery that required open-heart surgery.

O'Neal ended up playing 13 games for UCLA in 2019-20. He then transferred to LSU and averaged 2.8 points and 4.4 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per game (10 appearances) last year.

He was rated as a 4-star power forward on 247Sports' composite list of the top class-of-2018 basketball prospects. Of note, O'Neal also ranked 41st overall and eighth among power forwards.

Hopefully O'Neal is cleared soon and able to showcase the talent that made him one of the more highly touted big men in his class. The 6'10", 220-pound big man would join an LSU team that has started 8-0.

The LSU Tigers landed one of the best players in the 2022 recruiting class Friday when forward Julian Phillips committed.

He made his announcement during an interview with The Field of 68.

Phillips, who is 6'8" and 200 pounds, is a 5-star prospect and the No. 15 overall player, No. 2 power forward and No. 1 player from Missouri in the 2022 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

The first thing that stands out about his game is his versatility.

Phillips can play and defend multiple positions given his length and overall athleticism, which should help him play a key role in LSU's rotation right away. Jerry Meyer of 247Sports pointed to that skill set when projecting him as a future NBA second-round pick and comparing him to Corey Brewer.

While Brewer may not be a superstar name when it comes to comparisons, he was a productive NBA player who suited up in the league for 13 seasons for eight different teams. He also won a championship and was known for his versatility and defense.

That is a blueprint for Phillips, who Meyer noted is "developing" an outside shot to go with his driving ability on the offensive end.

He had a chance to further work on his game at Link Year in Branson, Missouri, before starting his collegiate career. Lou Bezjak of The State reported in August 2021 that Phillips transferred to the school and figured to play against elevated competition.

"We worked on my shooting and that is something I took very serious," said Phillips, who was a three-time all-state selection in South Carolina before the transfer. "I try to play as hard as I can and don't take any plays off. I think I am a versatile forward and can play inside and out."

If that shot continues to come along and Phillips lives up to expectations as someone who can impact the game in a number of ways, the Tigers will have one of the top overall playmakers in the 2022 class.

He should help them compete against some of the SEC's best teams, such as Kentucky, Arkansas and Alabama.

Five-star center Efton Reid, who is ranked 24th on 247Sports' composite rankings for the boys' high school basketball class of 2021, has chosen to attend LSU.  

He announced it Sunday:

Before all else I wanna thank God for everything that he has done for me and all that he is going to do for me.I want to thank my Circle for giving me the support and guidance during this journey. All I got to say is I’m Ready to get to Work ‼️‼️‼️#bootup 🐯 pic.twitter.com/M5yzs0eTxf

— Efton (@efton15) May 9, 2021

The highly-touted prospect chose the Tigers out of a number of offers, with Florida State, NC State and Virginia leading the list.

Reid, who is listed third among Class of 2021 centers, per 247Sports, plays for IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

The 6'11", 225-pound big man out of Richmond, Virginia, received the following scouting report from 247Sports director of basketball scouting Jerry Meyer, who called Reid a second-round NBA draft prospect:

"Has NBA center size. Game is skill based and not athletically based. Has good footwork and touch in post. Can stretch defense to three-point line. Comfortable with the ball as a passer. Has good hands and rebounds his area. Not a big shot blocker. Positional defender inside. Needs to improve quickness to defend on perimeter."

Seven-foot big men who can stretch defenses out to the three-point arc are great assets in a small-ball era where an abundance of three-pointers is commonplace, so Reid could be a fantastic addition for the Tigers as they look to compete for the NCAA Division I men's title.

As LSU's men's basketball team saw its season come to an end with a second-round loss to Michigan in the NCAA tournament on Monday, Shareef O'Neal, the son of Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, revealed he has been sidelined by a stress fracture in his foot:

https://twitter.com/SSJreef/status/1374173488022425601

The younger O'Neal, who started his collegiate career on the UCLA Bruins, played just 10 games for the Tigers this season.

He averaged 2.8 points and 4.4 rebounds during that span and has not appeared in a game since a Feb. 3 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

O'Neal was a 4-star prospect and the No. 41 overall player in the 2018 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings, but he played just 13 games for the Bruins last season. He also missed his first season because of an anomalous coronary artery that required open-heart surgery.

His mother, Shaunie O'Neal, said he "could've died" from it.

While living up to his father's reputation as a four-time NBA champion and three-time NBA Finals MVP may be a tall ask, O'Neal was adamant he is going to "work as hard as ever" this offseason.

That would seem to suggest he will be a contributor for the Tigers in 2021-22 as they look to build on this season's appearance in the NCAA tournament. They pushed the top-seeded Wolverines but ultimately fell 86-78 in a hard-fought, back-and-forth contest.

LSU has not made the Final Four since 2006, and O'Neal will surely try to help change that if he is healthy and ready to go next season.