RJ Luis Jr. Cleared for LSU After 18.2 PPG Stint and NBA Contracts

RJ Luis Jr., the 2025 Big East Player of the Year who averaged 18.2 points, has been granted a temporary injunction to play for LSU.

A Louisiana judge granted RJ Luis Jr. a temporary injunction on Monday, August 24, 2026, allowing the 2025 Big East Player of the Year to compete for LSU this season. The ruling comes despite Luis having previously signed multiple professional contracts. The 6-foot-7 wing enters the Tigers' program following a 2024-25 campaign at St. John’s where he averaged 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, earning second-team All-American honors.

After going undrafted in the 2025 NBA draft, Luis signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz. He was subsequently traded to the Boston Celtics and signed an Exhibit 10 contract with their G League affiliate. Although he participated in preseason action, he never recorded minutes in a regular-season NBA game. This legal victory follows a Friday ruling where the NCAA successfully moved to reverse a federal preliminary injunction in Colorado regarding fifth-year eligibility for the 2022 high school class. Unlike those prospects, Luis is not seeking a fifth year but is challenging the restrictions placed on players returning from professional ranks.

Roster Impact for Will Wade and LSU

Head coach Will Wade adds Luis to an LSU roster that consisted of only four official players earlier this month. The Tigers have also secured commitments from former UCLA teammates Skyy Clark and Donovan Dent. However, the stability of the lineup remains uncertain as the majority of the roster requires court rulings to maintain eligibility. These legal mandates could be subject to future challenges that might jeopardize player standing during the season.

Luis is not the only player navigating these legal channels; Kentucky commit Mark Mitchell also received clearance from a local judge on Saturday after previously signing an Exhibit 10 contract. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has formally expressed opposition to these eligibility grants in court filings. The NCAA recently won a similar case against Charles Bediako, who was ruled ineligible for Alabama during the 2025-26 season because he had signed multiple professional contracts after leaving school three years prior.

Legal Arguments and Professional Distinctions

Attorneys Elliot Sol Abrams and Baton Rouge District Attorney Tony Clayton represented Luis in the proceedings. Abrams noted that the NCAA’s decision to allow schools to pay players directly has transformed the organization into a professional league, making distinctions regarding contract signings arbitrary. Clayton characterized the situation as a simple desire for the player to exit the "NCAA trap."

While the NCAA has lost the majority of eligibility cases at the state level, it continues to fight the influx of players attempting to return to college basketball to access available funds. Future college athletes are slated to receive five seasons of competition under new age-based rules, but the current pool of players represents a unique transitional period. Luis’ case establishes a potential pipeline for former professional signees to reclaim collegiate eligibility, a move the NCAA is expected to contest in higher courts.