Come the 2015-2016 college basketball season the LSU Tigers could in fact be a team to beat. Between some of the talented players they already have and the talented ones they have on the way, they could very easily become a national power.
Talent already at LSU:
Jordan Mickey: (6'8" 235lb. SF/PF) - Jordan Mickey was a four star recruit in 2013 when he chose LSU over Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Ohio State, and SMU. Averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks a game at Arlington Grace Prep in Dallas, Texas. Averaged 12.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game as a freshman at LSU. Led the SEC in blocks per game as a freshman, and also joined Shaquille O'Neal as the 2nd player in LSU history to block 100 shots in a season. Mickey is averaging 15.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game this season.
Jarrell Martin: (6'10" 235lb PF/SF) - Jarrell Martin was also a four star recruit in 2013. After playing at Madison Prep in Baton Rouge, Martin said it was fairly easy to pick LSU over other schools that had offered him as he wanted to stay close to home. Martin was an incredible high school player at Madison Prep as he averaged 26.3 points, 14.8 points, 4.7 assists, and 4.1 blocks per game. With that being said it is no superise that Martin was named a McDonalds All-American. As a freshman at LSU Martin averaged 10.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Martin has the ability to play inside and has the range to step away from the basket and score. This season as a sophomore Martin has stepped up his play as he now averages 16.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.
Tim Quarterman: (6'6" 185lb PG/SG) - Quarterman was the other 4 star recruit LSU added in 2013. Johnson High School in Gainesville, Georgia was the home of Tim Quarterman prior to LSU. It was at Johnson where Quarterman averaged 19.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. During his freshman season Quarterman saw limited play time as Anthony Hickey dominated the minutes at point guard. With Hickey now at Oklahoma State, Quarterman sees his fair share of time on the court and is averaging 12.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game.
Josh Gray: (6'1" 185lb PG) - Gray now a junior, is playing his first year at LSU, after playing in junior college where he scored 34.7 points per game, and spending some time at Texas Tech, Gray is back in his home state as he is a native of Lake Charles, Louisiana. This season Gray has taken over the starting point guard role for the Tigers where he is averaging 9.6 points, and 4.8 assists. Why these numbers may not sound impressive, the former three star recruit has shown a ton of maturity and his experience has been beneficial to this team.
Jalyn Patterson: (6'0" 175lb PG) - Patterson was a three star recruit in 2014 when he chose LSU over Auburn, FSU, and Georgia. Patterson was quoted as saying he chose LSU, “It would be a place where I can improve my game in the next four years." Although coach Jonnny Jones is still trying to figure out how to use Patterson, it is clear he is expected to be a big part of the future at LSU.
Brian Bridgewater: (6'5" 265lb F) - Just so that we're clear, that is not a typo. Bridgewater is in fact 265 pounds at only 6'5". The forward is built a lot like Charles Barkley. The former 3 star recruit averaged 15.1 points and 8.3 rebounds a game at Scotlandville High School in Baton Rouge. Bridgewater was forced to sit out his freshman season at LSU after having issues with the NCAA clearinghouse. Bridgewater is expected to be a role player off the bench when it is decided what situations he is effective in.
Aaron Epps: (6'9" 208lb F) - 3 star recruit in 2014 out of Tioga High School. Averaged an 18 point and 12 rebound as a junior before averaging 22.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 6.7 blocks per game as a senior, gaining him All-State 1st team. Epps is expected to be yet another contributing player off the bench at some point.
Elbert Robinson: (7'1" 280lb C) - The biggest recruit for the Tigers in 2014. The four star recruit out of Lakeview Centennial in Texas. The big man averaged 14 points and 12.5 rebounds as a junior. Despite being double, and sometimes triple teamed, Robinson still managed to average 11.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, while swatting away 4.1 shots a game. Elbert has worked hard to improve his stamina as he weighed in at over 300 pounds prior to arriving at campus at LSU. Elbert has worked hard to drop weight and says his ultimate goal is to be able to run the floor with more ease.
Darcy Malone: (7'0" 245lb C) - Malone, a native of Australia was an unranked prospect in 2013. Most people would assume that he isn't a good player because of this. Well, you know what they say, it's not good to assume. Malone attended ACT Academy of Sports in Australia where he averaged 25 points, 19 rebounds, and 4 blocks a game as a senior. Johnny Jones has Malone coming off the bench as of right now, but that could change when, well we'll get to that later.
Keith Hornsby: (6'4" 210lb SG) - Hornsby, a junior, is in his first year after spending two years and UNC Ashville and then sitting out a year after transferring. The starting two guard for the Tigers is averaging 12.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game this season.
Talent on the way to Baton Rouge:
Craig Victor: (6'9" 230lb F) - Victor will be transferring from the University of Arizona to LSU and will join the incoming class of 2015. In 2014 the four star recruit out of New Orleans, chose Arizona over Oklahoma State, Kansas, and go-figure LSU. Victor spent his first three years at St. Augustine in New Orleans where he was named first team all-state as a junior after averaging 14.1 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game. Victor played his final year of high school ball at Findlay Prep in Nevada, the same school that Anthony Bennett attended.
Ben Simmons: (6'10" 230lb SF/PF) - 5 star recruit. Ben Simmons is THE #1 player in the class of 2015. The native of Australia is attending Montverde Academy in Florida. All you need to see to know why he is the number one prospect is look his highlights. Simmons can put the ball on the floor, handle the rock like a guard, rebound the ball, shoot the rock, and juust about everything else you want from a combo forward. The phenom chose LSU over Kansas, Kentucky, and Duke. Simmons godfather David Patrick is an assistant coach at LSU.
Antonio Blakeney: (6'4" 175lb SG) - 5 star recruit. Again, seems like a good starting point. It was recently that Blakeney de-committed from Louisville to commit to LSU. Blakeney who also had an offer from Kentucky, is assumed to have committed to LSU so he can join friend and AAU teammate Ben Simmons. The two are teammates on AAU team E1T1 (Each One Teach One) in Florida. Blakeney attends Oak Ridge High School where he is currently averaging 32.2 points and 6.9 points per game.
Best Case Scenario:
The best try thing that could happen to LSU basketball is that at the end of this season, both Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey announce they will come back for their junior seasons. Both Martin and Mickey apparently considered leaving after their freshman seasons for the NBA draft. Both players have both grown as players since arriving in Baton Rouge and have become a very effective front court duo. Both players can do a lot of things you want from your bigs. If there were to stay LSU would have EXTREME depth, especially in the front court. Between Martin, Mickey, Robinson, Simmons, Malone, Bridgewater, and Epps; LSU would have a ton of lineup options. With that being said the backcourt would also have a lot of depth and talent. With Gray, Hornsby, Patterson, Quarterman, and Blakeney; coach Johnny Jones would also have tremendous backcourt depth and talent to work with. If Martin and Mickey were to both chose to stay LSU would without a doubt be one of the most deep and talented teams in the nation as their roster would include 3 five star recruits, 4 four star recruits, and many more very talented players.
Worst Case Scenario:
The "worst" thing that could happen to LSU is if the above mentioned Martin and Mickey leave for the draft. This move wouldn't be the end of the world for LSU by any means, but it would be a huge blow. Two would-be upperclassmen who have chemistry and experience leaving wouldn't be a good thing for LSU by any means. Even when you have an incoming player like a Ben Simmons, It is beneficial for freshman to have players who have been in the game for two or three years to go to for advice and to ask them what to expect in college. For Simmons, Blakeney, and even Craig Victor, those mentors would be Martin and Mickey.
The Bottom Line:
The bottom line is that LSU is adding three very talented players to an already talented roster. This is not something we have never seen, as we constantly look Kentucky and Duke add multiple five star recruits and McDonalds All-Americans. That is one of the reasons that this possible combination of talent is so exiting. The fact that Kentucky will have a real threat in LSU, will be a nice change of pace as they usually take the SEC without many problems. The other exitement factor is for the LSU fans. Out there (meaning mostly Baton Rouge) there is a select group of fans that show just as much, if not more love to the LSU basketball team, than they do to the LSU football team. They have been able to witness a few good players come through over the years. Names like "Pistol Pete" and Shaq for the old-timers. Glen Davis, Tyrus Thomas, Garrett Temple, Marcus Thornton, Brandon Bass, and most recently Johnny O'Bryant III for the new generation. Those fans haven't seen a LSU team even make the NCAA tournament since 2009 and where teased in 2006 when LSU made it all the way to the final four just to fall short to UCLA. For those fans (myself included) a tournament is past due. Though LSU could make an appearance this year, it seems near inevitable in 2015.