It was meant to be the greatest experiment in the Europe to NCAA basketball pipeline yet. It might yet still work out as such. Yet, with just 84 days until their first game of the season, the LSU Tigers have yet to register any of their big signings from the continent. Emmet Ryan on the ongoing drama and what might come next.
In May, it looked like LSU had put together some whopper deals. The money being discussed in NIL value for the likes of Saliou Niang and Yam Madar was outrageous. Yet now, with their NCAA basketball season just 84 days away, Will Wade’s charges are few in number.
As of today, the Tigers have exactly four players registered. None of these are from the ranks of the big Euro signings that were expected. There’s no Niang, for now, there definitely won’t be Madar, and the status of Brice Dessert, Marcio Santos, and Michael Ruzic remains uncertain.
Will Wade tests the limit
Will Wade is certainly a figure that gets discussed, to put it mildly. When his return to LSU was announced in March, he quickly set to work putting the school’s NIL war chest to use. European prospects that previously eschewed the NCAA in the pre-NIL era were happy to consider his offers.
At the younger end there’s Michael Ruzic, only 19 but already an established pro with Joventut Badalona in Spain’s ACB and the Basketball Champions League (BCL). That was a good start but Wade was hungry for proven talent. The deep pockets in Baton Rouge went big. From Italy, he sourced Saliou Niang, 22, is a five year pro most recently with Virtus Bologna of Euroleague.
Then there’s Marcio Santos. At 23, he has been a pro since 2018 and most recently played for Maccabi Tel Aviv in Euroleague. Santos has already won the BCL Americas along with 3 Brazilian championships with Franca. Added to this was Brice Dessert, another five year pro most recently with Anadolu Efes of Euroleague. This was a serious set of signings.
And the other guy
Older than all of these and easily the most surprising was, of course, Yam Madar. At 25, Madar is already long-established at the Euroleague level. He’s been pro since 2018 and won titles with Fenerbahce, Partizan, and Hapoel Tel Aviv.
He was drafted all the way back in 2020 by the Boston Celtics. Remarkably, given how casually draft rights get traded in the NBA near the deadline, the Celtics still hold Madar’s draft rights.
The delays and hold-ups along with big questions over whether the NCAA would really stand for it meant the deal never closed. Madar has instead signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv, the same club as Santos, on a three year deal.
What even is a college player?
The arrival of NIL was the obvious big change for college sports. When NCAA basketball, and other sports, teams realised it could be used to lure Europeans the change was arguably as big. The House vs NCAA settlement allowed schools to pay players directly. That still creates a legal grey zone with regards the F1 visa these players would be on but it was enough of an opening to make the offers.
The age based model the NCAA has brought in is supposed to curb it so that the players coming over are closer to Michael Ruzic than Yam Madar in age. The latter part will be of some relief to European clubs.
At the top end of European basketball, young guys rarely get minutes. Euroleague clubs expect players to have established themselves before making it to that level. There are exceptions but they have become shockingly rare in recent seasons.
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Where does that leave LSU?
Somewhat understandably, LSU Tigers fans aren’t exactly thrilled at the level of uncertainty that remains heading into the current season. On a case by case basis however it looks promising for all four of the Europe to Baton Rouge signees will be able to suit up.
Marcio Santos should be fine given the definition of the age calculation erring in his favour. There have been reports that Brice Dessert actually has clearance already. Saliou Niang is the odd one as he was drafted in 2025 by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Yet having never signed a NBA contract, he should still be able to clear NCAA hurdles. The rule about draft declaration removing eligibility only impacts the 2026 NBA draft onwards.
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Yam Madar might be the biggest green flag
That Yam Madar opted to not stick with the process and instead sign for Maccabi is quite telling. He clearly had sufficient indicators that he wasn’t going to get clearance and made a call.
None of the other four have indicated a plan to stay in Europe as of yet. Indeed Niang has reaffirmed his plans to play college hoops in the coming season. Of course, as long as they aren’t registered then there’s always the chance someone else swoops in for any of the four.
Whatever the case, the wait is less than ideal for the LSU Tigers. Fortunately, this era of NCAA basketball is beneficial to big conferences. With the non-conference slate first, there’s ample time for LSU to integrate all of these players should they get the expected clearance.
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