Report: LSU assistant Cody Toppert leaving to coach Washington Wizards G-League team

LSU assistant Cody Toppert has a new opportunity awaiting in the NBA. He’s set to take over the Washington Wizards G-League affiliate, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported.

Toppert will be the head coach of the Capital City Go-Go, replacing Mike Williams. It will mark his second stint as an NBA G-League head coach after previously leading the Northern Arizona Suns during the 2017-18 season. The Suns are now the Motor City Cruise.

Toppert joined Matt McMahon’s staff at LSU last season after spending three years under Penny Hardaway at Memphis. Before that, he was an assistant coach under Monty Williams with the Phoenix Suns following his lone season in the G-League.

Cody Toppert played his college basketball at Cornell from 2001-05 and played professionally from 2005-12. His first coaching opportunity came in 2008 at Scottsdale (AZ) Christian Academy while he also played for the Continental Basketball Association’s Great Falls Explorers. In 2015, he joined the Rio Grande Valley Vipers as an assistant coach and stayed there until 2017 when he left for Northern Arizona.

The Go-Go were founded in 2018 when the Wizards added a G-League affiliate. Toppert will be their fourth coach and replace Williams, who left for a spot on Will Hardy’s staff with the Utah Jazz.

Matt McMahon has a coaching vacancy ahead of his second year at LSU

McMahon is currently gearing up for his second year as LSU head coach after leaving Murray State prior to the 2022-23 season. The Tigers had a rough go in his first go-round, finishing with a 14-19 overall record and a 2-16 mark in SEC play.

LSU was active in the transfer portal this offseason, bringing in six players to bolster the roster. The Tigers were one of the biggest winners in the portal, according to On3’s Jamie Shaw, as they brought in a group led by former Tulane guard Jalen Cook. Cook was the No. 11-ranked transfer to enter the portal during the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Transfer Portal Rankings.

Former Santa Clara guard Carlos Stewart is also in the fold after checking in as On3’s No. 25-ranked transfer. He and Cook will try to offset the departures of KJ Williams and Adam Miller, who led the Tigers in scoring last season. Williams led the way with 17.7 points per game and wound up signing with the Oklahoma City Thunder as an undrafted free agent. Miller was right behind him with 11.5 points per game, but transferred to Arizona State.