BY ALEJANDRO LOPEZ
One of LSU’s most controversial acquisitions in the recruiting cycle is fighting for a chance at eligibility.
LSU guard RJ Luis has received a preliminary injunction for immediate eligibility in the 2026-27 season, per CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein.
In 2025, Luis entered the NBA Draft after winning the BIG EAST Player of the Year award at St. John’s before going undrafted and signing a two-way deal with the Utah Jazz. Luis, however, did not play a game in the G-League due to injury.
It’s unclear if Luis will receive another year of eligibility, because of his two-way contract signed last July, but should the Miami product return to college, he’ll likely become one of the best players in the nation once again.
NCAA President Charlie Baker also announced last season that athletes that have previously signed NBA contracts or two-way contracts would continue to be ineligible, which in this case includes Luis’ two-way contract with the Jazz.
“While the NCAA has prevailed on the vast majority of eligibility-related lawsuits, recent outlier decisions enjoining the NCAA on a nationwide basis from enforcing rules that have been on the books for decades — without even having a trial — are wildly destabilizing,” Baker said. “I will be working with DI leaders in the weeks ahead to protect college basketball from these misguided attempts to destroy this American institution.”
A similar situation also happened last season when former Alabama center Charles Bediako returned to the program after playing three seasons in the G-League following his departure from the Crimson Tide in 2023. Bediako appeared in five games for Alabama after initially being granted eligibility in court, but after the circuit court was ruled to switch judges, with the one granting him eligibility also being a donor of the program, Bediako lost eligibility when a judge denied his motion for a preliminary injunction.
Luis will be the latest in a line of professional athletes looking to go back to school.
Follow Alejandro Lopez on Twitter
Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter
Follow ZAGSBLOGHOOPS on Instagram
