NCAA Basketball: Auburn, Vols, LSU, and UNC in play for 5-star F Jabari Smith

LSU Tigers

There are two important things when talking about LSU and any class of 2021 prospects. On the court, this would be a nice pairing, assuming that sophomore forward Trendon Watford declares and stays in the 2021 NBA Draft. Darius Days can play at the wing and four-star commit Jerrell Colbert would be the starting center most likely.

There is a trio of frontcourt transfers (Shareef O’Neal, Josh LeBlanc, and Bryan Penn-Johnson) that could complicate things for any newcomer big man. For Smith, it wouldn’t stop him from starting but he minutes could dip if any of them break out into being an asset.

If guards Javonte Smart and Cam Thomas comes back for another year and Smith joins, this could potentially be the best team in the SEC for the 2021-22 season. But one of those guards is likely to depart and the Tigers really should focus on landing another guard in the 2021 class if sanctions do happen to the program.

That brings me to the other point off the court. For those who don’t know, head coach Will Wade and the basketball and football programs have been accused by the NCAA of improper recruiting violations. The investigations and trials are likely to go on for months, with any punishment coming next offseason. That would affect the 2021-22 season and any 2021 recruits.

Considering Oklahoma State’s postseason ban and Kansas potentially getting the hammer, it wouldn’t be surprising at all if LSU gets either a ban themselves or a loss of multiple scholarships for the next couple of years. Either scenario would affect Smith and may have him go elsewhere.

The dark cloud over the program makes it hard to envision a “one and done” player choosing them for now. And even though his father went to the school, there are simply better options that don’t have the risk of a ban.