After kicking off exhibition play with four players listed on its official roster, LSU men’s basketball is nearly at capacity with 14 players making up its roster as of Oct. 22.

In his second stint at the helm of the Tigers, Will Wade and his staff decided to go a peculiar route when constructing their roster.

The team consists of either freshmen or seniors with junior guard Divine Ugochukwu being the only exception. Among LSU’s six freshmen, half of them come from overseas in Croatian center Michael Ruzic, Israel center Gilad Levy and Senegalese-Italian forward Saliou Niang.

Over half of the seniors on the roster are fifth-year seniors, in guards Austin Nunez, Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark, along with center Brice Dessert. All of whom had to battle eligibility issues throughout the offseason before gaining clearance, as recent as Oct. 21.

With the Tigers’ roster finally taking shape ahead of their Nov. 3 season opener against LSU New Orleans, here are three key things to know about their roster following eligibility decisions.

Can LSU be competitive in the SEC?

In the SEC preseason media poll that was released in early October, the Tigers were selected to finish 14th in the conference. As of Wednesday, Oct. 21, LSU has +5000 odds to win the 2027 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. A fitting spot for a team that only won three conference games and hasn’t made a trip to March Madness since 2022.

Since then, LSU’s roster has had a huge bump, adding size and double-digit scoring with its latest additions. The Tigers have four players 7-foot or taller, one of who has already showcased his double-double abilities in exhibition play, Ruzic. He, along with Levy and Dessert bring overseas experience to the five position, making LSU much more of a threat than it has been in the past in the SEC.

While the Tigers likely won’t make a run for the natty this season, they are sure to be a formidable opponent in the SEC given their new weapons. Far more competitive than their preseason ranking.

Who are LSU men’s basketball’s starters vs. role players?

Since LSU’s roster has no returners, starting spots are up for grabs among the 14-man roster. In the Tigers’ first two exhibition games against McNeese and UCF, Ruzic, forward Mo Dioubate, and guards Ugochukwu, Dent and Abdi Bashir Jr. started. Coming off the bench were freshman forward Jordan Bender and center Strake Pearson, both true freshmen.

With more weapons to choose from, there could be a range of starting lineups Wade and his staff try out throughout the year. Shoo-ins for starters are Dioubate and Bashir Jr. at the two and four position. Dioubate could also serve as a small forward for the Tigers should they go big and have a two-center look. Ruzic has been the clear starter at the five position but will have plenty of competition with Dessert, after he averaged eight points and five rebounds while playing overseas in France.

Dent, Ugochukwu and Clark could all serve as the Tigers starting point guard with Dent likely to lead the race.

Can this Will Wade-led squad win 25 or more games?

The last time the Tigers won more than 25 games was in the 2018-19 season — with Wade at the helm. That marked year two of Wade’s first stint in Baton Rouge and a lot was different. With much less time to form a foundation, a 25-win season is too big of a goal for Wade’s Tigers this go-round.

LSU could, however, outdo last year’s finish of 15-17 overall and 3-15 in SEC play. It’ll take time for the Tigers’ new roster to find flow and the winning combination on the floor, as every game will be information gathering not just for fans but for Wade and his staff as well.