SEC Basketball: Expectations for each first-year head coach in 2022-23

SEC Basketball: Expectations for each first-year head coach in 2022-23 season

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 17: Head coach Todd Golden of the San Francisco Dons calls out instructions in the second half against the Murray State Racers during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 17, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

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SEC Basketball Matt McMahon Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports /

Matt McMahon – LSU

The now-former Murray State coach certainly doesn’t have an easy job in his first year with what LSU went through at the end of last season. After a long NCAA investigation, Will Wade was fired shortly before the NCAA Tournament. Shortly after being eliminated by Iowa State in the first round, every single LSU player except for one elects to explore other options and potentially leave the program. Believe it or not, McMahon did a nice job filling it out for a season that I’m declaring “the buying time season” for LSU.

One of the big steps for McMahon in the off-season was getting a couple of the LSU transfers to come back. He did that by retaining Adam Miller and Mwani Wilkinson. Both of those guys should be starters, but it’s tough to understand what their individual expectations should be. Miller is coming off of a season where he didn’t play a single game for LSU due to a torn ACL and Wilkinson was stuck in a bit of a log jam last season playing behind LSU’s top two scorers in Tari Eason and Darius Days. Both guys could be double-figure scorers this year, but it will be interesting to see how they fit in McMahon’s system.

The next step for McMahon was using his “security blanket”. McMahon took advantage of the talented roster he had at Murray State and brought in some of them to play key roles for LSU next year. K.J. Williams is the headliner of the group as he decided to remove his name from the draft to play for another year in college. Justice Hill and Trae Hannibal give McMahon two ball handlers and again, guys that know what his system is and how to play in it.

Freshman Tyrell Ward should round out the rest of the starters for a team that will likely be solid, but probably has a ceiling. McMahon will have this team right around the bubble all season and potentially on the right side of it. I have LSU ranked 43rd overall and 8th in the SEC. Some wins against top teams in the league should get them into the tournament in year one for McMahon.

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