In his first game as a LSU Tiger, freshman forward Darnell Lazare made a noticeable impact on the court. The Baton Rouge native saw 23 minutes of action and added six points with two blocks and one steal against Global Sports last Thursday.
“I thought Darnell Lazare came in and really showed how well he’s been coached and taught,” said LSU coach John Brady. “He’s not a great scorer, but [he is] certainly athletic and physical enough to play.”
Sophomore guard Antonio Hudson said he thinks Lazare will prove to be a vital role player this year for the Tigers this season.
“Every team needs a player like him,” Hudson said. “He comes off the bench and gives you a spark. He’s going to be a major role player I think.”
Lazare said he just tries to do what Brady wants him to do.
“Whatever coach Brady needs me to do, I’ll go in there and do it,” Lazare said. “I try to do a little bit of everything. In high school, that’s what I did. On this team I guess I’m just the glue. I just try to keep everybody together and do whatever it takes to win the game. I try to do all the dirty work.”
Lazare said he appreciated all the playing time he received in the first game, but said his playing time is not a major concern for him.
“That’s not really a big thing for me, as long as we are winning,” he said. “I am not an ‘I’ person. I’m all about the team.”
Highly-touted freshman forward Brandon Bass said he appreciates Lazare’s work ethic in practice.
“Darnell goes real hard in practice,” Bass said. “That’s what I like about him.”
Freshman guard Tack Minor said he also noticed Lazare’s hard work in practice, but he also likes the way Lazare plays.
“He’s a hard worker,” Minor said. “He’s real good at listening. He does what the coach tells him to do. I like his game.”
Last season Brad Bridgewater provided the humor off the court for the team. Hudson said Lazare has done a good job at filling the void left by Bridgewater’s graduation.
“He’s a character,” Hudson said. “To me he takes the place of Brad Bridgewater. Brad was the team clown last year and Darnell seems like he walked right into his shoes. He’s doing a good job from coach Brady to movie star impersonations.”
Lazare attended Woodlawn High school in Baton Rouge. He said Brady helped make LSU the only university he wanted to attend.
“I had a few offers from other SEC schools, but I liked coach Brady,” Lazare said. “He is very similar to my high school coach and when he came to school to visit with me I felt right at home. I felt like there was no better school for me to excel at in my basketball skills and in life. I just didn’t want to go anywhere else.”
Although Lazare has not even completed his first semester at LSU, he said he knows he made the right choice by playing for LSU.
“I love it,” Lazare said.