Tracking LSU head coach Will Wade's Basketball Commits

LSU head coach Will Wade landed his third Transfer Portal addition to the 2026-27 roster on Friday with the addition of a veteran out of the Big 12.

One day after Wade landed Michigan State transfer guard Divine Ugochukwu, LSU dropped another portal domino with the addition of Kansas State guard Abdi Bashir Jr.

For Wade, it’s addition No. 3 from the NCAA Transfer Portal following an initial commitment from Kentucky transfer Mo Dioubate.

Here is a closer look at the players who have gone public with their commitment to LSU as Wade’s roster starts to see even more dominos drop in favor of the Tigers as he looks to build a roster made up of a blend of largely international players, transfer portal additions, and NBA G-League players.

Kentucky forward Mo Dioubate – Transfer Portal

The first domino that dropped came when former Kentucky forward Mo Dioubate, who spent two seasons at Alabama and one with the Wildcats, announced his decision to transfer to LSU. The New York native has three years of SEC experience with two seasons playing under Nate Oats at Alabama before playing this past season for Mark Pope at Kentucky. Dioubate arrived at Alabama as a four-star prospect in the 2023 class and carved out a role early as an energy forward in Oats’ system. As a freshman on a Final Four team, he appeared in more than 30 games while averaging 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in limited minutes. By his sophomore season, Dioubate took a noticeable step forward. His minutes increased, and so did his production, as he averaged around 7.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting efficiently from the field. Seeking a larger role, Dioubate transferred to Kentucky ahead of the 2025-26 season. With the Wildcats, he saw expanded playing time by earning more than 20 minutes per game and averaging 8.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest while shooting more than 50% from the field.

Brazilian center Márcio Santos – Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel)

Santos has been playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel, and his experience playing international basketball makes him an intriguing addition to Wade’s 2026-27 roster. Santos will turn 24 years old when the season begins, and he has titles and All-Star awards from multiple leagues on his resume. What is LSU Basketball getting in a player who averaged 7 points and 14 minutes per game while shooting 40% from 3-point range in the Euroleague? EuroHoops reporter Johnny Askounis weighed in on Wade’s addition of Santos. “His journey to the SEC has been defined by rapid development on the international stage,” Askounis said. “A native of Tres Coracoes, Minas Gerais, he first gained prominence with Franca in the Novo Basquete Brasil, NBB, and helped the club secure the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in 2023. Following a stint in the BKT EuroCup and Germany’s easyCredit BBL with ratiopharm Ulm during the 2024–25 season, his jump to Maccabi allowed him to showcase his floor-spacing abilities against the highest level of competition outside the NBA. Despite going undrafted in 2023 and participating in Summer League stints with the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic, Santos has utilized his time in Europe to refine his game into that of a versatile, modern center. By choosing to join Will Wade’s roster, he provides Louisiana State University with a unique blend of size and perimeter shooting.”

5-star HS Prospect Ahmad Hudson – Ruston High (La.)

LSU Football popped the nation’s No. 1 tight end prospect on Sunday when 5-star Louisiana native Ahmad Hudson announced his commitment to the Tigers. The Ruston two-sport star is not just a Top 25 prospect on the Rivals Industry Rankings for the 2027 class, but he also checks in as a Top 25 basketball prospect nationally. Hudson will be on a football scholarship, but will be on the football and basketball rosters when he arrives in Baton Rouge following his senior season on the gridiron this fall. While Hudson is not likely to make a major impact on Wade’s team next season, the additions of Dioubate and Santos are notable pieces to a roster Wade said will have 8-9 players the staff will rely on each game. As a Top 25 prospect in the 2027 recruiting class, Hudson closed out his junior season on the hardwood as the Bayou State’s top-ranked basketball prospect and the No. 3 center in the country. With Hudson planning to enroll in January, he could join the basketball roster ahead of SEC play – a move commonly made by top multi-sport athletes in football and basketball who enroll after the fall semester of their senior year of high school.

Michigan State guard Divine Ugochukwu – Transfer Portal

LSU head coach Will Wade has added another public commitment to the 2026-27 roster, and once again, he dipped into the Transfer Portal. On Thursday, Michigan State transfer guard Divine Ugochukwu committed to transfer to LSU as part of Wade’s first roster upon his return to Baton Rouge as head coach of the Tigers, he told On3. The 6-foot-3 sophomore from Sugar Land (Texas) averaged 5.1 points in 16.1 minutes per game this past season for the Spartans. He scored a season-high 23 points against Penn State in December, and the Spartans went 11-1 in games when Ugochukwu was in the starting five. During two seasons spent between Miami and Michigan State, Ugochukwu totaled 50 games played, 28 starts, averaged 18+ minutes per game between Miami and Michigan State, and
averaged 51% shooting from the floor and 44% from 3-point range this past season in East Lansing.

Kansas State guard Abdi Bashir Jr. – Transfer Portal