The transfer portal is going wild in all sports, but it’s especially helped LSU men’s basketball turn over a new leaf in the 2025-26 season.

Each of LSU’s starters in the first four games has come out of the transfer portal, and it has clearly been for good reason. They’ve all had highlight moments so far in this young season.

Head coach Matt McMahon said after the season opener that he was extremely pleased with his portal pickups, and they have made great contributions to the team so far.

“We tried to be very intentional and how we identified and who we targeted in the portal this past spring,” McMahon said after the season opener. “You’re still trying to figure out what’s going to translate as you go up in level here to the SEC, and so we tried to be very detailed in acquiring positional size. These guys have done a tremendous job there, obviously just game one, and a long way to go, but it’s been a real joy to coach this group.”

The five starters have been Marquel Sutton, Mike Nwoko, Dedan Thomas Jr., Pablo Tamba and Max MacKinnon. These upperclassmen have great experience on the court, and they have shown excellence in their areas of expertise.

Marquel Sutton

Sutton is a transfer from Omaha, and he is a versatile player on the court. He’s known for putting up several 3-pointers in each game, hitting a .423 percentage on his 3-point attempts.

He exemplifies an all-around athlete, which is a big reason why he’s had a double-double in three straight games in the 2025-26 season.

“When [Sutton] first got here, I talked about how he’s developed his 3-point shooting,” McMahon said. “Initially, it was just a lot of catch and shoot threes. Now you see him flying off stagger screens and baseline screens. His shot preparation is terrific, and he’s shooting it with a lot of confidence. So we just had to have him on the floor tonight. He impacts winning in every phase of the game.”

Mike Nwoko

Nwoko has been a standout player for the Tigers so far this season, and he has brought big energy in the PMAC. In Tuesday’s contest versus Alcorn State, the 6-foot-10 athlete made four dunks, two of which were in the first minute of the game.

In the least amount of playing time of any starter, he has averaged six rebounds a game and has the highest shooting percent from the field of any of the starters. From the field this season, Nwoko has shot 32-41 (.780).

McMahon set the standard for Nwoko high in the preseason, saying he could truly be as good as he wants to be, and he has shattered expectations so far this season. With his height and size, he is dominant on the court and is physically aggressive with the best.

“Mike’s been fantastic on the offensive end,” McMahon said after Tuesday’s win over Alcorn State. “He’s worked really hard in the player development program. I think he’s using his physicality in a great fashion.”

Dedan Thomas Jr.

Dedan Thomas Jr. has been a steady force so far this season, and a true team player. It’s what he’s going to be recognized for throughout the season.

He’s played the second most minutes of the starters, and he’s been astounding on the defensive side of the ball. He has 14 defensive rebounds so far this season with 28 assists to go with it.

He’s been a critical part of the Tigers’ defense, and he will continue to be until he gets shut down.

Pablo Tamba

Tamba has also made waves this season on the defensive side of the ball, which is why LSU brought him in. He runs the Tigers defense, and he’s missed when he’s not on the court in big moments.

Even in a game where he doesn’t score much, he usually impresses the staff with his toughness and resilience.

“[Tamba] plays every possession like it’s his last, all he cares about is winning,” MacMahon said after the game versus Alcorn State. “I enjoy getting to coach him every day, because he’s all in he’s going to give you everything he’s got.”

Max MacKinnon

MacKinnon is another player who has played a big role in the games, despite being more quiet. He had a breakout game in the season opener, scoring 19 points, and he’s continued to be consistent ever since.

He works well with the team, and feeds off of Thomas’ production extremely well.

After the opener, McMahon said that Tarleton’s plan was clearly to get the ball out of Thomas’ hands, and Mackinnon didn’t hesitate to step up in the tough spot and get the job done.

“It was pretty evident to me, part of Tarleton’s plan was to trap DJ and get the ball out of his hands, and so that opened up some opportunities for Max to knock down threes,” McMahon said after the season opener.

These starters have come together well throughout the first four appearances together, and they will only feed off of each other better as the season goes on. The portal’s been good to LSU so far in the young basketball season.

The Tigers will try to defend their win streak against on Friday, Nov. 20 as they take on Omaha in the PMAC at 7 p.m.