By BEN LOVE
This cat Will Wade is something on the recruiting trail.
Before Tuesday he’d already pulled quality players, in a time when it’s not exactly traditional to do so, from the junior college ranks (SG Daryl Edwards), from the grad transfer heap (PF Jeremy Combs) and twice dipped into the prep pool (PG Tremont Waters and F Mayan Kiir).
All of those four, combined with previous signees Galen Alexander and Brandon Rachal, are expected to be eligible to suit up in 2017-18.
Well, Wade struck again today by landing 6-foot-11 Oregon transfer Kavell Bigby-Williams.
Bigby-Williams, a London native who two years ago was the NJCAA Division I Player of the Year, will have to sit out one year with one year of eligibility remaining.
So take a moment and consider LSU’s roster turnover in several months under Wade.
Six scholarship players will return to LSU this season, given no more movement. And now seven scholarship players will have played elsewhere last campaign.
He’s made the team his own. And Wade’s not just filling the bench with bodies, many of these signees enter with legitimate credentials.
Now, in fairness to the past half-decade of LSU hoops, attracting high-level recruits wasn’t a dilemma for former bench boss Johnny Jones. It was getting said blue chippers to gel, be cohesive and achieve on the hardwood commiserate to the level of their collective talents.
How will Wade stack up against his predecessor in that regard?
We’ll find out soon. But he’s going to cook with his ingredients, and the feeling here is this chef’s attention to detail will yield delicious results.
Maybe sooner than later.