LSU men’s basketball coach Trent Johnson released center J’Mison Morgan, the top recruit in the Tigers’ incoming freshman class, from his commitment Monday night.
Senior Associate Sports Information Director Kent Lowe confirmed the decision in an e-mail Tuesday afternoon.
Johnson contacted Morgan’s AAU coach, Jazzy Hartwell, to tell him he would grant Morgan release from the letter of intent he signed with the Tigers in November, Johnson told the Advocate on Tuesday.
Questions began to surround Morgan’s commitment after LSU’s dismissal of former coach John Brady in February.
Speculation also arose that Morgan might instead try to play for UCLA — plans his mother has now confirmed to The Advocate.
With all the changes at LSU, J’Mison decided he wanted to do something different,” Bianca Morgan said. “He wanted to play for John Brady and Butch Pierre and that changed, and he wanted to play with Anthony Randolph and he left. That’s a lot of things changing, and he decided he wanted to go somewhere else.”
Johnson said he is glad to grant Morgan release if the 6-foot-10-inch, 275-pound center does not want to play for LSU.
“The bottom line with me will always be that I want players here who want to play for LSU,” Johnson said. “There is some closure with this decision, but no player will ever be bigger than the program.”
Johnson said he is not disappointed in the outcome.
“Disappointment is when 13 guys who want to be here buy into a belief and a program and work hard and aren’t able to achieve what they set out to.”
—-Contact Jerit Roser at [email protected]