Wednesday was kind to the LSU men’s basketball program.
On the first day of the early signing period, LSU coach Trent Johnson received National Letters of Intent from forward Johnny O’Bryant and guard John Isaac.
Scout.com rates O’Bryant as a five-star recruit and Isaac as a three-star recruit.
O’Bryant verbally committed to LSU on Oct. 14 and Isaac verbally committed last year, but Johnson was only able to speak about the recruits once they signed.
“I’m looking forward to, as a head coach, making sure these two young men achieve their goals while they’re here at LSU and beyond,” Johnson said. “It’s a good day for our basketball program. It’s a good day for our fans.”
The 6-foot-9, 245-pound O’Bryant is the No. 21 recruit on
ESPNU’s Top 100 board. He averaged 15 points and 7.2 rebounds a game last season at East Side High School in Cleveland, Miss.
“He’s got a wealth of basketball experience with USA Basketball,” Johnson said. “He’s a kid that basically we need to enjoy every second, every day, because he has an opportunity to play basketball for a long, long, long time.”
Johnson said he could tell O’Bryant wasn’t a follower and had a different attitude than the typical recruit.
“There’s certain guys that want to be a part of something that, ‘Hey, I put this thing on the map for a long period of time,’ he said. “I think he’s one of those guys. I really feel that.”
Isaac, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound guard from Pickering High School in Leesville, La., averaged 18.5 points and 11.5 rebounds his sophomore year. He didn’t play his junior year but has recovered and is playing high school football.
Johnson said he told Isaac he would have a scholarship at LSU regardless of how his rehab went.
“I’ve seen him work out,” Johnson said. “The last time I saw him he came out of class and he had his flip-flops on, and he proceeded to go off of one foot and go up and dunk the ball with two hands.”
Johnson also said he hasn’t decided on a starting five for Friday’s home opener against Northwestern State.
He said if he was forced to choose today, freshman Ralston Turner would play shooting guard, sophomore Aaron Dotson would be small forward, and junior Malcolm White would be at center. The other two positions are still undecided.
Junior forward Storm Warren has battled injuries throughout the preseason and is about 90 percent after an ankle injury,
according to Johnson. Johnson said how Warren overcomes the injury this week will determine his playing time Friday.
He also said he likes sophomore forward Eddie Ludwig’s ability to pass and handle the ball against Northwestern State. He said with Ludwig on the floor he can play one low-post player and keep the other four around the perimeter.
“There’s going to be certain looks that are going to be thrown at us defensively that we’re going to have to keep Eddie on the floor longer at the four,” he said.
Johnson said freshman forward Jalen Courtney sprained his left ankle but will likely be ready by Friday, while sophomore forward Dennis Harris and junior forward Garrett Green are as healthy as they’ve been this year.
 
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Contact Rowan Kavner at [email protected]