Former Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics guard RJ Luis is returning to school basketball after spending the previous 12 months within the NBA and G League pipeline.
NBA insider Evan Sidery reported Tuesday that Luis has dedicated to LSU after beforehand signing a two-way contract with the Jazz and later becoming a member of the Celtics group. Sidery added that Luis is one other instance of a participant utilizing the rising NCAA-NBA pathway to return to school basketball after time in knowledgeable system.
Luis went undrafted within the 2025 NBA Draft regardless of a robust closing season at St. John’s. He signed a two-way contract with Utah on June 26, 2025, earlier than being traded to Boston on Aug. 6 alongside an $8 million commerce exception in change for Georges Niang and two future second-round picks.
The Celtics waived Luis earlier than the beginning of the 2025-26 season on Oct. 15. He later signed an Exhibit 10 cope with the Maine Celtics, Boston’s NBA G League affiliate.
The 22-year-old now heads to LSU after constructing one of many strongest résumés in faculty basketball in the course of the 2024-25 season. Luis averaged 18.2 factors, 7.2 rebounds and a couple of.0 assists throughout 35 video games at St. John’s whereas taking pictures 43.9% from the sector and 33.6% from three-point vary.
His breakout marketing campaign earned him Consensus second-team All-American honors, Large East Participant of the Yr recognition and the Large East match Most Excellent Participant award. Luis additionally made the First-team All-Large East squad and gained the Haggerty Award.
At 6-foot-7, Luis developed into a flexible wing scorer throughout his three faculty seasons. He averaged 14.1 factors and 5.6 rebounds throughout 85 profession video games between UMass and St. John’s.
The choice displays a broader development in basketball, with former NBA and G League gamers returning to the NCAA by way of eligibility and NIL alternatives. A number of gamers who beforehand examined the skilled route have chosen faculty packages providing bigger offensive roles, growth minutes and monetary flexibility.
