RJ Luis Jr. just got a preliminary injunction that makes him eligible for LSU this season, but don’t pop the champagne just yet, because the SEC is *not* done fighting. The former St. John’s star, who was the Big East Player of the Year, passed on college for the NBA Draft, wasn’t picked, then signed with the Utah Jazz before being traded to the Boston Celtics. After appearing in three preseason NBA games with Boston and missing the regular season due to injury, this guy is finally set to hit the court for Will Wade’s Tigers. But what happened on the football field with ex-NFL players might tell us everything about his future.
The Football Fight That Blew Up The SEC
You remember the absolute circus around LSU’s football team, right? Lane Kiffin had everyone talking when the Tigers tried to add Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, who’d just been cut by the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints during the NFL’s preseason. This wasn’t some quiet move, either. It sparked a full-blown legal battle so intense that the SEC actually filed a federal court motion threatening to *boot LSU from the conference*. Talk about high stakes! While that specific attempt to get Wright and Harris eligible became moot after LSU added two *other* players to its 105-player roster, the “headache” it caused wasn’t worth it. And make no mistake, that fight between LSU’s football program and the courts is “far from over.” That’s the vibe we need to pay attention to for the basketball squad.
Greg Sankey Just Set The Trap For Luis Jr.
The word from Baton Rouge is that Luis is eligible, thanks to a judge’s preliminary injunction last month. That’s a huge win, for now. But if the football chaos is any indication, this basketball battle is just heating up. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has been “outspoken” about Luis’ case, even filing an affidavit asking the court to uphold NCAA rules that block athletes from returning to college after going pro. And here’s the kicker: the SEC also drafted new rules last month specifically preventing players, like Luis, who previously declared for the draft or signed a professional contract from returning to college. This isn’t just talk. This is the SEC actively changing the game to keep guys like Luis out.
LSU’s basketball program already has some “unfinished business” for the 2026-27 season, with only four active players on the official roster and less than two months until the season tips off. They’ve got Skyy Clark and Donovan Dent fighting for a fifth year of eligibility, but Luis is definitely the “most polarizing” case. With Greg Sankey and the SEC making moves, it feels like this fight for Luis Jr. is far from over, and it’s going to be a wild ride right up to opening night. We’ll be watching to see if Will Wade can even field a competitive team given these ongoing battles.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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