Good news for LSU
posted: Friday, April 14, 2006 | Feedback
All is well at LSU, where John Brady is finally getting some love from the administration, Glen Davis is staying, and the Tigers are a finalist for the best player left in the class of 2006. Brady said he met with LSU chancellor Sean O'Keefe on Wednesday for an hour, and talks will resume Monday after the Easter weekend holiday. Brady reportedly is one of the lowest-paid coaches in the SEC (in the $715,000 range) and wants to be up near the $1 million mark to join the likes of Alabama's Mark Gottfried, with whom he competes for the SEC West title on a yearly basis.
Meanwhile, Brady told ESPN.com Friday that Davis (a.k.a. Big Baby), the SEC Player of the Year, would return for his junior season. Brady said he expects redshirt freshman Tyrus Thomas to test the draft process and put his name in by the April 29 cutoff. He said Thomas wants to be a top-five pick or he might withdraw by the June 18 deadline.
However, if Thomas leaves, Brady is confident that freshman Magnum Rolle, a role player on the Final Four Tigers, can step in and replace him. Rolle, a lanky player similar to Thomas, had two key blocks in the Sweet 16 win over Duke. The 215-pound Rolle needs to add weight; Brady said the plan is for him to put on 15 pounds over the summer.
In addition, the Tigers have two transfers who have been sitting out -- athletic wings Terry Martin (from Texas Tech), who will be eligible next January, and Dameon Mason (from Marquette). The Tigers also get back point guard Tack Minor (injured for most of the season). The only player they will definitely be losing is senior lead guard Darrel Mitchell.
As for recruiting, the Tigers are a finalist for Darrell Arthur, a 6-foot-9 power forward out of Dallas.
Brady is expected to re-up with LSU, but if NC State ever made a direct play for him and offered him well over $1 million, he would have to listen. At this point, expect Brady to remain at LSU, where there is a new commitment to him, his staff and a team that could be Final Four player again in 2007.
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