Last year, LSU men’s basketball coach Johnny Jones took over a team with little to no expectations.
But when Jones stepped to the podium at LSU’s 2013 Baksetball Media Day on Monday, the culture surrounding the program was noticeably different.
The Tigers return a First Team All-Southeastern Conference performer and an experienced core augmented by what is arguably the best recruiting class in school history. SEC media members picked LSU to finish fourth in the conference in 2013, and the rest of the country is taking heed of the work Jones has done in Baton Rouge.
“We’re much farther along at this juncture than we were at this time last year,” Jones said. “One of the reasons is that the guys are familiar with what we’re doing offensively and defensively. … Our freshmen and newcomers have done a great job in following leadership and competing at a certain level to allow us to be challenged each day at practice.”
The most obvious difference between Jones’ first two LSU teams is height. The Tigers sported a small roster in 2012, and Jones said he knew he had to address the lack of size when he hit the recruiting trail. The second-year coach stuck to his plan, signing three players 6-foot-8 or taller to make size an issue of the past.
Though Jones brought in a consensus top-10 recruiting class, most of the hype has centered on freshman forward Jarell Martin, a former five-star recruit from Baton Rouge. Martin is expected to be a key contributor in the frontcourt, playing alongside junior forward Johnny O’Bryant III, a preseason First Team All-SEC selection.
“I just look past [the hype],” Martin said. “I came in and was at home, and I just want to build the legacy back. I wanted to get everybody back in to pack the PMAC.”
Jones also added height to his undersized guard rotation with the signing of 6-foot-5 freshman Tim Quarterman. Jones said he expects quality minutes from Quarterman, and the freshman guard asserted that he’s ready to share point guard duties with junior guard Anthony Hickey, who finished third in the country with 2.93 steals per game in his sophomore campaign.
While the freshmen have received most of the attention, LSU will lean on its returning starters in the early part of the season. Four returning Tigers logged at least 28 minutes per game last season, and senior forward Shavon Coleman, a valuable sixth-man, averaged 10.5 points and just less than six rebounds per contest in 2012.
Jones did not divulge his starting five, but he suggested that 10 or 11 players could be awarded significant playing time. The second-year coach said his starting lineup will fluctuate depending on performance at practice, but LSU’s depth will make his decisions easier.
“We are probably one of the biggest teams in the country,” O’Bryant said. “The new guys can all play well. We will be able to pound the ball inside against some of those early teams and get physical. That’s where the size advantage comes in to play.”
The Tigers’ first chance to showcase their fresh talent will be in an exhibition game against Xavier on Nov. 6 in the PMAC. Though 2013 ushers in new hope and high expectations for LSU, Jones isn’t entirely forgetting lessons learned last season.
“We have to make sure we keep the same approach that we had last year,” Jones said. “It’s important that we continue to improve in each practice and each game, and we have to make sure that we don’t look ahead.”
“We have to make sure we keep the same approach that we had last year … it’s important that we continue to improve in each practice and each game, and we have to make sure that we don’t look ahead.”

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Angela Major

LSU head men's basketball coach Johnny Jones speaks to reporters Monday, October 28, 2013 at Basketball Media Day in the LSU Basketball Practice Facility.