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For the second-straight week, the LSU men’s basketball team lost a standout player to the NBA Draft.
Tigers’ center Jordan Mickey announced this week that he will forego his final two years of collegiate eligibility so that he can put his name in June’s NBA Draft.
Mickey’s departure came exactly one week after his 2014-15 teammate Jarell Martin made the same move, marking the first time in the Johnny Jones Era that the Tigers lose more than one player early to the professional ranks.
Mickey was a First-Team All-SEC selection in 2015, averaging 15.4 and 9.9 rebounds per game. He led America with 3.64 blocks, and was the only LSU player since Shaquille O’Neal to record more than 100 blocks in a season.
“This was a tough decision because I hate to leave my teammates and LSU family,” Mickey said this week. “We have been through a lot in the past two years as we have grown as a team. This is just the beginning for LSU, and I’m confident great things are going in the near future for this team as they continue to grow.”
For Mickey, the jump to the pro game comes after a solid two-year career with the Tigers. A native of Dallas, Mickey was an instant impact performer at the college level, recording nine double-doubles as a true freshman in the 2013-14 season.
Mickey had a lot of NBA interest after his first year of college ball, but opted to return to school this past year so that he could refine his offensive game.
In 2014-15, Mickey did just that, and was easily one of the best centers in all of America.
The 6-foot, 8-inch center started 31 games for the Tigers and played 34.9 minutes for an LSU team that didn’t have much depth. Mickey’s offensive skills were refined this past season, and the big man showcased better touch around the goal and even a mid-range jump shot.
Mickey shot 191-of-379 from the field for the season – a 50.4 percent clip.
Arguably the best game of his career came on Jan. 31 when he scored 25 points and pulled down 20 rebounds in LSU’s game against conference rival Mississippi State.
But it was on the defensive end that Mickey did the lion’s share of his damage. In the paint, the long and lanky big man was an absolute terror to opponents. Mickey blocked 113 shots as a sophomore, bringing his career total to 219 for his two-year career.
When he didn’t block shots, he routinely altered them, which greatly benefitted the Tigers’ defensive efforts.
Jones said Mickey’s presence to the LSU program in the past few seasons has been invaluable, adding that there’s no way that the Tigers could have reached the NCAA Tournament without its big man.
The coach added that Mickey’s decision to attend LSU was huge for the program’s growth, because it showed prospects around the world that the Tigers can polish and grow some of the best players in the world.
“I want to thank Jordan Mickey for the impact that he made on the LSU basketball program over the last two years,” Jones said. “Jordan’s growth, hard work and competitive spirit allowed us to compete at a higher level. We want to wish Jordan and his family all the best as he continues to pursue the next chapter of his basketball career.”
NBA Draft experts are all over the board when it comes to Mickey’s future
Some tout that the former Tiger will be a high-end first-round pick because of his potential to evolve into an elite big man at the next level.
But others slate Mickey toward the back-end of the first round or early portions of the second round because of Mickey’s lack of size in a league where 7-footers roam.
Mickey struggled in his final collegiate game, missing four-straight free throws down the stretch to allow NC-State to rally past LSU in the opening-round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
Despite the uncertainty and all of the questions that surround his future, Mickey said that he is always going to be grateful to Jones and the LSU basketball program. He added that no matter what happens in his pro career, he will always be a Tiger.
“I wanted things to end on a better note, but due to injuries, I was limited in what I could do for my team,” Mickey said. “Trust (me), I gave it my all. … I want to thank the coaching staff, teammates and the LSU fans. I will always be a Tiger at heart forever.”
LSU SIGNEE SCORES BIG AT McDONALD’S ALL-AMERICAN GAME
Even with Mickey and Martin gone, reinforcements are on the way for LSU basketball.
The Tigers’ 2015 recruiting class is one of the best in the entire country – a class that is glittered with blue chip prospects that are expected to be instant impact players for the Tigers.
The ring leader of that is Ben Simmons, the five-star forward and consensus No. 1 player in the country. Simmons has been described as the best high school player since LeBron James – a more-polished version of the NBA superstar.
Simmons competed in the McDonald’s All-American Game this past week and had a big impact. The standout scored 7 points, had a game-high 10 rebounds and had 3 assists.
His East All-Stars team won 111-91 in the game.
LSU standout forward Jordan Mickey (25) has opted out of his final two years of eligibility so that he could enter the 2015 NBA Draft. Mickey joins teammate Jarell Martin as the two Tigers who will turn pro. Even with the top-name departees, the Tigers are expected to thrive in 2015-16 because of a loaded recruiting class.
