This offseason has been a fascinating period for Matt McMahon and the LSU Basketball program. After a 3-15 showing in SEC play, it was clear that the LSU Tigers needed to undergo a full roster overhaul and as the program was given a bigger NIL budget it was going to take place in the transfer portal.
The transfer portal rebuild started with some massive wins landing elite guard Dedan Thomas Jr and Mississippi State starting center Mike Nwoko. McMahon and his staff then identified several Mid-Major stars to add around its core giving the Tigers several high upside pieces on the wings. After slowing down, LSU began to fill out its roster landing Memphis' PJ Carter and UC Davis' Pablo Tamba.
On Saturday, LSU rounded out its roster with one of its most intriguing additions of the transfer cycle.
LSU lands international star Ron Zipper from Israel
On Saturday, the LSU Basketball program turned to the International ranks landing a commitment from Israeli guard Ron Zipper.
The LSU Basketball program has a ton of international ties after hiring Ronald Dupree from the Milwaukee Bucks as General Manager, as he brings a ton of experience in International Scouting.
The 6-foot4 Ron Zipper has a chance to be LSU's best addition of the transfer portal cycle based on his track record. Zipper has been one of the top players in Israel and was one of the top international recruits with 4 seasons of eligibility available.
This season for Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Zipper averaged 11.1 points per game and his 38.2% mark from three point range will be welcomed on an LSU team that struggled to shoot the ball. Typically, when you land a player with 4 years of eligibility, they're a raw player, but with Zipper's experience overseas, he comes with a ton of professional experience which will make the transition to College Basketball easier.
The LSU Basketball program entered the offseason needing a full roster overhaul with the hopes of building a team that can compete in the SEC and make an NCAA Tournament run. While it'll need to be proven on the court, Matt McMahon and his staff have gone out and gave this team a ton of pieces to make that run. The Tigers were far behind their counterparts when it came to NIL spending and now with the playing field leveled, LSU should be ready to compete.