SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey just dropped an affidavit in a Louisiana courthouse, and it’s aimed squarely at stopping former Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis from suiting up for LSU. Sankey is asking Judge Ronald Johnson to flat out uphold NCAA rules that block athletes from returning to college if they’ve already gone pro, a move that could completely derail Luis’s attempt to play college basketball again.
The Commissioner’s Call for “Integrity” Hits Hard
Sankey isn’t holding back, stating in his filing that preventing former pros from returning to college athletics is “essential to the integrity of college sports.” He’s worried that letting these guys back creates a “competitive disadvantage and fundamental unfairness” for student-athletes who’ve stuck it out in the collegiate system. He sees it as a betrayal of the model. This isn’t just about Luis, either. Sankey pulled a similar move in February regarding Charles Bediako, a former Alabama center who came back after a G League stint only to be ruled ineligible after five SEC games. It shows the SEC means business on this.
Luis’s Wild Pro Ride: From Draft Hopeful to Courtroom
So, what’s RJ Luis’s story? The dude was a star at St. John’s, part of the 2022 high school class that got a class-wide preliminary injunction in Colorado earlier this month. He dipped out of college early for the 2025 NBA Draft, even though nobody projected him to be picked. He went undrafted, but snagged an NBA two-way contract shortly after. He signed with the Utah Jazz, then got traded to the Boston Celtics before the 2025-26 NBA season even started. He saw the court for three preseason games with the Celtics, logging a total of eight minutes. But here’s the kicker, the one that might make you scratch your head: Luis never appeared in a single NBA or G League regular-season game. He was waived by the Maine Celtics, their G League affiliate, before the season due to an injury. Now, Luis has filed for a preliminary injunction on August 3, with his hearing set for Monday in Baton Rouge, trying to force his way back onto the LSU roster for the 2026-27 season.
LSU’s Roster Headaches Go Beyond Luis
Even if Luis somehow wins his case and gets ruled eligible, LSU’s first-year coach, Will Wade, is facing a monster uphill climb. The Tigers are trying to get all the players Wade recruited this offseason ready for the start of the season, but it’s a mess. Right now, they only have four players on their active roster who are guaranteed to be eligible. Wade even had to dive into the super-senior market, landing former UCLA guard Skyy Clark earlier this month just to fill out the squad. This Monday’s hearing for RJ Luis isn’t just about one player’s comeback, it’s about what “integrity” means for college hoops and the tricky path LSU is walking to even field a full, eligible team.
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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