LSU men’s basketball is getting reinforcements, and it might just be what it needs to save its season.
In a hostile environment against a top-five team in the nation, Green secured his first NCAA basket all by himself, blocking Crimson Tide guard Chris Youngblood’s 3-point jumper before taking and slamming the ball home on the other end.
“Immediately, players respect how hard he works and what he brings to our team,” Tigers head coach McMahon said.
While LSU ultimately lost their fifth SEC matchup of the year, 80-73, to move to 12-7 overall, Green was a bright spot. He posted his two points on 1-2 shooting (50%), with three rebounds and a block in his first nine minutes of collegiate basketball.
On the last day of 2024, Green hauled in a 10-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Garrett Nussmeier to help lift the Tigers past Baylor in the Texas Bowl, 44-31. He caught 13 passes for 101 yards and four touchdowns from Nussmeier in the fall. But now, less than a month later, Green is gobbling up rebounds and sending back opponents’ shots for LSU basketball.
“I have such respect for what he’s doing,” Tigers head coach Matt McMahon said. “He hasn’t been in a single meeting, practice [or] workout since he got to LSU until a week after the bowl game.”
But how can Green continue to develop as a hooper? Could his impact be large enough to turn the tide for the Tigers throughout their final 12 conference contests?
“It’s really impressive what he’s been able to do in a short time,” McMahon said.
The 6-foot-7, 230-pound freak of nature was highly recruited in football and basketball out of Zachary, Louisiana. Green was a five-star football recruit, the No. 31 overall player in On3’s 2024 football recruiting class and the top tight end prospect in the country. In his junior year at Zachary, Green averaged 24 points per game as a power forward.
On Sept. 23, 2021, LSU offered Green a basketball scholarship. Less than a month later, on Oct. 12, Tigers head coach Ed Oregon offered Green a scholarship to wear a football helmet.
Instead of deciding between the gridiron and the hardwood, Green committed to LSU on one condition: he wouldn’t have to choose.
With an entire football season under his belt, Green has switched out his football cleats, turf and No. 14 jersey for basketball shoes, nylon nets and No. 8 for the Tigers.
“He’s been a very quick learner,” McMahon said. “He’s a great teammate. He brings tremendous energy to practice.”
Green was granted a week off after the Texas Bowl before doing individual drills. He worked with the scout team before making his first appearances in live team practice over the past week and a half.
“I think it’s just a matter of trying to fast-track learning,” McMahon said. “I think one thing thats really stood out where he’s done a great job is his chemistry with the team. You wouldn’t know that he hasn’t been with us for the first eight months.”
McMahon has carefully crafted this purple and gold roster around speed and shooting, which carried the team to an 11-2 record through non-conference play. But as we’ve entered the second half of the season, the roster’s glaring weakness has been exposed.
Following the loss of starting forward Jalen Reed to a torn ACL against Florida State, LSU lost one of their three tallest players at 6-foot-10. While Corey Chest, Daimion Collins, Robert Miller III and Derek Fountain have all helped contribute on the glass, it hasn’t been enough for the Tigers to match the astounding physicality of playing in the SEC.
Even with a much-improved roster, McMahon and his group are on track to fall well short of the nine SEC victories they had a year ago.
Through their first six conference matchups, LSU has an abysmal 1-6 record. The team is ranked No. 13 in the SEC in defense with 70.2 opponent points per game and is in danger of another three-game losing streak when it hosts the nation’s No. 1 team, Auburn, on Wednesday night.
While it may be naive to think that Green will change everything, if he can help the Tigers stop a bit of the bleeding on the boards and guard well defensively, LSU has a serious chance to sure up, get hot and make a serious run prior to the SEC Tournament.
His natural athleticism and bounce give the Tigers an advantage of having a threat underneath both rims.
“There’s just so many scenarios that are getting thrown at him in short order, and I think just with continued experience, he’ll keep getting better and better,” McMahon said.
So, as McMahon and his team continue to look for life in the back half of the schedule, keep your eyes on No. 8.
Blink, and you might miss an eye-popping, high-flying play from LSU’s most versatile dual-sport athlete.
