Judge Orders LSU to Roster RJ Luis, Blocking SEC Sanctions
An East Baton Rouge judge issued a preliminary injunction ordering LSU to place former St. John's star RJ Luis Jr. on its roster, prohibiting the SEC and NCAA from penalizing the program.
🎓College SportsPhoto: The Athletic
Key points
- East Baton Rouge judge orders LSU to roster RJ Luis Jr. and enjoins the SEC and NCAA from issuing penalties.
- Luis was the 2025 Big East Player of the Year at St. John's before signing an NBA two-way deal with Utah.
- LSU coach Will Wade confirmed in court testimony that fear of SEC sanctions was the sole reason Luis had not been rostered.
An East Baton Rouge judge has granted a preliminary injunction ordering LSU to roster former St. John's wing RJ Luis Jr., barring the SEC, commissioner Greg Sankey, and the NCAA from imposing penalties against the school or the athlete. The court ruling clears a path for the former Big East Player of the Year to compete for the Tigers during the 2026-27 season despite conference rules against former professional signees.
Luis went unselected in the 2025 NBA Draft before signing a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz in June 2025 and later being traded to the Boston Celtics. Although he never appeared in an official NBA regular-season game, the SEC previously maintained that his professional contracts disqualified him from college competition. Luis averaged 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game during his final year at St. John's before spending a year and a half away from college basketball.
LSU coach Will Wade had previously kept Luis off the roster out of concern over conference sanctions, even after securing a temporary restraining order in October. Testifying virtually prior to LSU's road game against No. 14 Gonzaga, Wade stated that potential SEC retribution was the only reason Luis remained sidelined. While Luis did not travel for the matchup in Spokane, his legal representation expects him to join the active lineup in the immediate future for the 3-0 Tigers.
What to watch next: LSU returns from its road trip to integrate Luis into team practices ahead of his potential Tigers debut.
Source The Athletic — nytimes.com/athletic/7780401/2026/11/13/judge-orders-lsu-roster-rj-… ↗
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