With the NCAA Tournament officially over, all eyes are now on the next season in the men’s basketball world.
LSU is one of many teams who is looking to make a return to March Madness. Despite the departure of three starters and several key rotation players, the Tigers are hopeful that year three under head coach Matt McMahon will represent yet another leap in the right direction.
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With all the changes and what is so far a light group of transfers, LSU’s three incoming freshmen could potentially have important roles.
In the past, freshmen like Tyrell Ward, Jalen Reed and Mike Williams III have earned lots of playing time and have immediately become key contributors under McMahon.
That trend could continue with LSU’s newest class of freshmen.
Together, they make up what is ranked as the No. 13 high school recruiting class in the nation, according to 247Sports, an impressive accomplishment for McMahon and his staff and the highest LSU has been since 2021.
Here’s a look at what each brings to the table:
Vyctorius Miller | AZ Compass Prep | Guard | No. 60 recruit in the 2024 class (247Sports)
Miller made waves last week when he led all players with 18 points in a star-laden first-round matchup of the Chipotle Nationals. AZ Compass, the underdog and No. 8 seed, faced No. 1 Montverde and took an early 12-point lead.
Just hours before, Miller had announced his commitment to LSU during the halftime of another first-round matchup. This came after he had decommitted from Oregon the week prior.
Montverde, an undefeated team loaded with top prospects, eventually took control for a comfortable win and later were crowned the national champions. Still, Miller’s scoring gave Montverde a scare.
Miller buried four 3-pointers, showing off what makes him unique as a prospect. Without a doubt, Miller’s shooting is his hallmark skill that will earn him playing time from the jump.
Miller’s shot is mechanically very smooth, which allows him to make difficult shots both off the catch and on the move.
However, there’s room for him to grow outside of that. He’s still growing as a playmaker, he wasn’t used as a primary ball handler and he doesn’t create advantages with his dribbling. His length could one day make him valuable defensively, but he isn’t a standout there yet.
Still, high-level shooting is extremely valuable. He could immediately carve out a role on the Tigers, adding another offensive dimension, if his shot is falling.
Robert Miller III | Pasadena Memorial | Power Forward | No. 67
Miller, the son of former LSU football defensive lineman Robert Miller II, is the type of player the entire basketball world seems to be after these days: a big man with guard skills.
Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Anthony Davis: for years, everyone has been searching for the kind of player with the size of a center matched with fluidity, perimeter shot-making and passing vision.
Miller fits that archetype. There are very few things he isn’t capable of doing on a basketball court.
He can toss outlet passes from one side of the court to the other. He can take the ball coast-to-coast in transition with speed and power. He can bury pull-up 3-pointers. He can fly for dunks. He can spring upwards for blocks at the rim. He can move his feet defensively on the perimeter.
All of that at 6 feet 10 inches is, in theory, a dominant player. The issue in practice with many players of this archetype is that when you hand the keys of an offense to them, they might not be as efficient at doing guard things as, well, a guard.
Miller won’t quite have that pressure on him immediately. In a crowded room of lanky big men, he’ll probably be eased in and might not play much his freshman year.
He’ll need to work on his physicality, as he isn’t a force in the post, but it’s not hard to fantasize about what he could be. In time, he could be an electric player for LSU.
Curtis Givens III | Montverde Academy | Guard | No. 80
Givens was a member of that aforementioned loaded Montverde team, which cruised to an undefeated season and a national championship.
On a team with top prospect Cooper Flagg, as well as two other five-stars, Givens often took a back seat. However, he embraced his role as a glue guy and was for the most part a fixture in the starting lineup.
In the national championship game against Paul VI, Givens was relegated to the bench and responded with one of his best games of the season. He scored 24 points and made six 3-pointers.
The scoring outburst demonstrated Givens’ growing skill as a shooter, as he consistently made himself available in the corner and had one impressive 3-pointer off a dribble handoff.
Despite Givens’ electric performance in the national championship, his impact as a player mostly comes in quiet ways. He’s a competitive defender with a strong frame and a willing passer who makes connective plays in the half court.
It doesn’t always show up in the stat sheet, but Givens makes winning plays.
At LSU, that could earn him a rotational role immediately, especially in a guard room losing several key contributors
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