Kentrell Gransberry’s LSU men’s basketball career lasted only two minutes in a 2005 exhibition game.
If he had stayed, Gransberry would have been a member of the 2006 Final Four squad, but Gransberry said he chose to transfer to the University of South Florida for better opportunities and playing time.
“I knew [the 2005-2006 LSU team] was going to be a great team from the start,” Gransberry said. “But I felt I would have been sitting there watching on the bench.”
Three LSU men’s basketball players – Gransberry, Ross Neltner and Regis Koundjia – have transferred within the past three seasons, and sophomore guard Ben Voogd is set to become the fourth to transfer. He announced his decision to leave April 17 and is weighing his transfer options with schools closer to his Oregon home. Voogd did not return phone calls for this story.
LSU men’s basketball coach John Brady said he is not concerned with the seemingly large percent of transfers in recent seasons. Brady said the root of all transfer decisions is lack of playing time.
“I worry about the guys in the purple and gold,” Brady said. “The [Southeastern Conference] is the highest level of play. Anywhere else is a step down. If your heart and soul isn’t in it, you shouldn’t be here.”
Gransberry, a Baton Rouge native, arrived at LSU as a junior college center from San Jacinto Community College.
“I wanted to give a chance for my mom, family and friends to watch me at LSU,” Gransberry said. “But obviously it wasn’t the best situation.”
After the exhibition game, Gransberry said he told the LSU coaching staff he was unhappy. Brady said he thought Gransberry’s decision to transfer after just two minutes of play was “a little premature.”
“I kind of took a day to think about it,” Gransberry said. “We all had a meeting to discuss it. Everything happened from there. I just felt that it was in my best interest.”
After transferring to South Florida, Gransberry averaged 15.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game during the 2006-2007 season. With recently ousted University of Arkansas coach Stan Heath now leading the South Florida squad, Gransberry hopes his final season will bring national recognition.
“I want to lead the Big East conference in rebounding, lead the nation in rebounding, make it to the NCAA tournament and be first-round draft pick,” Gransberry said.
Junior forward Neltner, who transferred from LSU to Vanderbilt University, will also enter his final season of collegiate basketball this fall.
Neltner transferred after averaging 2.9 points per game during his 2004-2005 sophomore LSU season. He increased his average to 9.2 points per game during his 2006-2007 season at Vanderbilt.
“The coaches weren’t too happy with me leaving,” he said. “I remember being in on a three-way conversation with my dad and coach [John] Brady. They worked hard developing me as a player. I mean, I got to go down [to LSU] and play against three NBA-caliber guys in the post.”
Neltner said his transfer was not about playing time or distance from his Kentucky home but about the opportunity to have an impact on his team.
“I was an integral part of us winning or losing this season [at Vanderbilt],” Neltner said. “I had accountability and responsibility.”
Neltner said he has “no regrets” about his transfer decision and does not know why several LSU players have transferred in recent seasons. The first to start the string of transfers was forward Koundjia, who roomed with Neltner at LSU.
Koundjia said he left in December 2004 because he did not receive the playing time LSU coaches promised him.
“After an away game, I came back the same night and packed my stuff and said, ‘I’m not playing. I’m done,'” Koundjia said. “The coaches came to my dorm, but I said, ‘No, I’m cool.’ I just said like, ‘Man, I’m done.'”
Koundjia transferred to George Washington University and averaged 7.3 points and 27 minutes of play per game in his senior season.
Koundjia said he will graduate in December and then pursue playing basketball overseas.
“I’ve had a lot of fun [at George Washington],” he said. “I’ve played like I’ve wanted to.”
Koundjia, Gransberry and Neltner said they have no regrets about their transfer decisions – even though they missed the chance to play in the Final Four.
“I think every individual case is separate,” Neltner said. “Regis [Koundjia] left for different reasons than I did. I don’t think that there is one blanket statement I could say that it’s because of this or because of that. Maybe LSU has just had some bad luck.”
—–Contact Amy Brittain at [email protected]