Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill dubbed the Southeastern Conference’s argument that LSU men’s basketball could still add ex-pro athletes a “Hail Mary” in a Tuesday filing seeking the dismissal of the league’s federal lawsuit.
Last week, the SEC argued its case against LSU officials — initially spurred by Lane Kiffin’s effort to add players who previously signed NFL contracts — needed to live on because of Will Wade’s recruitment of former G League player RJ Luis.
During the conference’s basketball media days, Wade said he intended to follow SEC rules prohibiting schools from rostering athletes who previously signed pro contracts and Luis wouldn’t be rostered. But the legal back-and-forth continues in an Alabama court.
“So obvious is the case for dismissal that the SEC throws a Hail Mary: new (and demonstrably false) claims that the LSU men’s basketball program is violating SEC rules. Enough is enough. There is no good reason to waste this Court’s time and resources,” Murrill wrote, asking the lawsuit be dismissed until the conference can bring a “real case.”
The SEC initially filed its lawsuit against Murrill and various LSU officials in early September. The defendants included president Wade Rousse, athletic director Verge Ausberry, the entire board of supervisors and Kiffin. Wade hasn’t been a party in the case.
Dae’Quan Wright, a tight end who was in training camp with the Browns, and Zxavian Harris, a defensive tackle who spent time with the Saints but never practiced due to injury, were not rostered by Kiffin as the SEC threatened penalties.
In spite of a Baton Rouge judge, William Jorden, granting dozens of Class of 2022 high school athletes eligibility to play a fifth season, the SEC instituted a fine equivalent to 50% of a sport’s budget and a half-season suspension of its coach if ex-pros were added.
Kiffin backed down, and the SEC reneged on a threat to hold a vote to expel LSU from the league, but the conference didn’t end its legal campaign as basketball season neared. Murrill ultimately filed a motion on Sept. 25 to dismiss the federal lawsuit.
The SEC rebutted Murrill last week by saying there had been no formal declaration that Wade and the school were committed to following the league’s professionalism rules.
“That the SEC has now resorted to new allegations about the LSU men’s basketball team — in a suit against LSU’s football coach and based solely on allegations about who would ‘play football for LSU during the 2026-2027 season’ —warrants a special response,” Murrill wrote. “Without seeking the Court’s leave to amend its complaint, the SEC now claims that LSU’s men’s basketball program is violating the SEC’s rules.”
Wade has brought in multiple former European pros, including this week’s addition of Senegalese-Italian wing Saliou Niang.
Niang was drafted by the Cavaliers in 2025 but never signed a pro contract and has been cleared as eligible by the SEC, which has prohibited athletes who declared early for the NFL, NBA or WNBA drafts without withdrawing or signed with a pro team.
Luis, the Big East Player of the Year for St. John’s, declared for the NBA Draft in 2025 after three college seasons. He wasn’t selected but signed a two-way deal with the Utah Jazz before he was traded to the Celtics and played in multiple preseason games.
The SEC quoted Wade in its last filing as being “unapologetic” about his roster-building approach, but Murrill noted the coach said on Sept. 23 he planned to “abide” by SEC rules.
“As the full context shows, Coach Wade was ‘unapologetic’ about building his roster in an unconventional way — not, as the SEC misleadingly suggests, violating SEC rules,” Murrill wrote. “The lack of candor is startling.”
The SEC has asked the court in Alabama to affirm its First Amendment right to not associate with LSU, assuming the conference ultimately votes to expel the school.
“On September 10, the SEC met ‘to decide whether to terminate [LSU] as an SEC member institution. It declined to terminate,” Murrill wrote. “Any continued association with LSU is thus the SEC’s choice, and self-inflicted harms cannot confer standing.”
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