There is a level of excitement surrounding LSU basketball that hasn't been there since the days of Shaquille O'Neal, and rightfully so with a top recruiting class joining a team that made the NCAA Tournament a year ago. Here are three reasons why the Tigers are legitimate Final Four contenders this year:
3) Veteran experience
Leading scorers Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey may not be back, but junior point guard Tim Quarterman and senior shooting guard Keith Hornsby headline a group of six players returning that all significant playing time last season - five of whom averaged over 11 minutes per game. Head coach Johnny Jones will have to mix these veterans with the new, talented freshmen (more on them in a second), but all parties involved seem willing to do whatever is necessary to be successful.
2) New influx of talent
Two five-star recruits (F Ben Simmons, G Antonio Blakeney), a four-star (G Brandon Sampson), and a transfer (2014 four-star PF Craig Victor) give LSU the best group of incoming talent they've had in a LONG time, and this group is poised to lead the Tigers into the national spotlight. Simmons can do absolutely anything he wants to on the basketball court, while Blakeney might be the purest scorer in the country and Sampson is a sharpshooter through and through with Victor contributing as the bruising post presence.
Simmons, Blakeney, and Victory will be inserted into the starting lineup right away along with Quarterman and Hornsby, while Sampson will be one of the best sixth-men in the country. With these guys seeing significant playing time, LSU has the talent to take on all of the top teams in the country.
1) Did we mention Ben Simmons?
As the nation's No. 1 recruit, Simmons is the kind of player that gives opposing head coaches nightmares. He has elite NBA size at 6'10" and 240 lbs, and has the ball-handling ability and perimeter skills to play point forward. Simmons is an excellent passer and is a triple-double threat every time he steps on the floor, giving the Tigers the expectation of competing with Kentucky atop the SEC this season.
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