Court Lets LSU Roster RJ Luis While Case Proceeds

A Louisiana court has cleared the way for former St. John's guard RJ Luis to suit up for LSU this season, though the conference whose rules kept him off the floor remains in an active dispute with the university. A Baton Rouge judge issued an injunction Wednesday allowing Luis to practice and play for the Tigers ahead of a hearing scheduled for Nov. 13 in Baton Rouge.

The order stems from a lawsuit filed by Tony Clayton, an attorney for Luis, against the NCAA over eligibility rules governing members of the 2022 class. SEC policy bars players with professional experience or signed NBA contracts from taking the court, a rule that has kept Luis out of LSU's lineup. A Louisiana judge initially granted Luis permission to participate in the upcoming season, and Wednesday's injunction extends that protection while the case moves forward.

At an earlier injunction hearing concerning former football players Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, Greg Sankey took the witness stand and testified for more than three hours on the Thursday before LSU opened its season against Clemson. Judge William Jorden ruled in favor of the two athletes, making them eligible to be rostered by Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers without punishment from the SEC. LSU's athletic department kept them off the team anyway, citing the threat of conference recourse and a federal lawsuit the SEC filed that same week.

Clayton, who represents Wright and Harris as well as Luis, told reporters outside the Baton Rouge courthouse on Wednesday that adding the conference and LSU to the amended complaint gives his client a path to play despite SEC guidelines. He also addressed the conference's posture directly. "LSU may be intimidated by 'Kim Jong' Sankey, but we're not," Clayton said.

Clayton told NOLA.com that his client filed against LSU and the SEC because of the commissioner's actions and the commissioner's threat. He said the reason LSU was brought into the suit is because LSU is being threatened by Mr. Sankey. "LSU is a great institution. Coach Wade is a good guy, a good coach, but both of them need to be forced to allow RJ to play basketball since he's obviously qualified," Clayton said. "And not have the threat of the SEC, which is threatening LSU."

Will Wade, LSU's basketball coach, has said he will follow SEC guidelines regarding former professional athletes not being added to the official roster. The injunction now gives the Tigers the legal standing to roster Luis without facing penalties from the conference. LSU opened its season against Clemson earlier this month.

Multiple sources said attorneys for Wright and Harris could file a civil suit against the SEC in the coming weeks seeking damages for the players not being rostered by Kiffin and LSU. Their view is that the SEC's threat of action against LSU, should the university roster those athletes, prevented them from playing this season. The SEC has also filed a separate federal lawsuit against LSU.

The injunction issued Wednesday remains in effect until the Nov. 13 hearing in Baton Rouge.