Predicting LSU basketball’s starting lineup next season
Matt McMahon has done a fantastic job putting a roster together, and that might be an understatement.
Over the last few months, LSU’s roster has been filled out via the transfer portal, some recruiting and even convincing departing players to come back.
At this point, we have a pretty good idea about what that group will look like next year despite not having an official roster posted yet. That means we can start taking a stab at what the starting lineup will be.
This is harder than it is most years as there are so many variables surrounding these players. With talented freshmen, it’s always tough to predict if they will be ready. With transfers making the jump from a weaker conference, you never know how they will fare against consistently tougher competition. In Adam Miller’s case specifically, we don’t know what he will look like coming back from injury.
There will be plenty of competition to see how the minutes should be divided up. I also expect McMahon to play a lot of these guys as a lot of them are similar in talent and skill. There’s not much pressure on McMahon next year which means he can take some time to develop some guys and try out new things.
Here’s how we see the starting lineup breaking down as things currently stand.
Guard - Justice Hill
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Along with fellow Murray State transfer [autotag]KJ Williams[/autotag], this one was the easiest. LSU needs stability at the point guard position next year and [autotag]Justice Hill[/autotag] should provide that.
Hill started every game for Murray State last season, averaging 31.3 minutes per game. He scored 13.4 points per game, finding offense from all over the floor. He also averaged 5.1 assists and 1.1 steals.
Guard - Adam Miller
AP Photo/Michael Conroy
[autotag]Adam Miller[/autotag] would have been here last year if it were not for a torn ACL suffered in practice. Miller was supposed to be LSU’s scorer, a guy the team could turn to when they needed a bucket. With him hurt, it was clear how much the Tigers missed that.
Miller chose to come back to LSU, which could mean McMahon has told him something positive about playing time expectations. If he is healthy, he’s one of the best players on this roster.
As a freshman at Illinois, Miller averaged 8.3 points per game and was a terrific three-point shooter. If he can build on that next year, he could end up being LSU’s best player.
Forward - Mwani Wilkinson
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Wilkinson is the lone returning starter on the roster. He’s not a threat to score 20 every night, but he’s a solid role player that’s proven to be an important part of the lineup.
He will be a junior and has 44 career starts under his belt. He averaged just four points per game last year but was one of the best defenders on a team that survived on their defense.
Wilkinson was a top-100 recruit in 2020 and could be due for a breakout season with some development. Whether that happens or not, he figures to be a pivotal part of the lineup in 2022-23.
Forward - Tyrell Ward
AP Photo/Gregory Payan
Ward is the lone true freshman on this list. He’s a top 40 player in the class of 2022, and some recruiting outlets even have him as a five-star.
He is your typical elite small forward prospect. He can score inside, and he can hit shots from deep. His athleticism and length allow him to be a plus player on defense.
According to 247Sports, he’s 6-foot-77 and just 185 pounds, so he’ll probably need to add some weight, but his talent should hold him over.
It’s not clear whether Ward has the talent to be one and done. He’s in that range where it could go either way. If LSU can get Ward to stick around for two years, he could be a star, and this team needs that right now.
Forward - KJ Williams
AP Photo/Darron Cummings
If Williams is the same player he was for Murray State last year, he could be LSU’s best player next season. He played four years at Murray State and is taking advantage of his fifth year after testing the NBA draft waters.
Williams won OVC player of the year averaging 18.0 points per game with 8.4 rebounds.
Williams has averaged over 12 points and seven rebounds in each of the last three years. He even showed some ability to shoot from behind the arch, as well.
He will be facing tougher competition in the SEC and won’t be as dominant as he was in the OVC, but he can still be a force down low for McMahon’s squad.
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