LSU basketball forward Mwani Wilkinson has change of heart regarding transfer decision

LSU coach Matt McMahon got another major transfer portal victory on Tuesday. Mwani Wilkinson is coming back.

Wilkinson has withdrawn his name from the portal and will return to the Tigers, On3’s Matt Zenitz has learned. He started 30 of the 34 games in 2021-22 for the Tigers under Will Wade and entered the portal April 1. At the time, he was the 11th Tiger to test the transfer waters.

Wilkinson averaged 4.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game for LSU in 2021-22 and helped the Tigers to an NCAA Tournament appearance. Getting his experience back is huge for McMahon as he takes over for Wade, especially considering the entire roster either entered the portal or declared for the NBA Draft. Add in NC State transfer Cam Hayes’ commitment to the Tigers this week, and McMahon is starting the program rebuild off strong.

LSU is coming off a 22-12 overall record and 9-9 mark in SEC action this past year. The Tigers fired Wade before Selection Sunday after receiving a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA.

Cam Hayes officially announces transfer to LSU

Hayes took to social media to announce his decision to join LSU on April 8. He’s coming off his second season with the Wolfpack and played in all 32 games in 2021-22, including 13 starts. He averaged 7.0 points and 2.1 assists per game as NC State finished 11-21 overall and 4-16 in ACC play. After entering the portal March 16, Hayes came in as the No. 12 transfer on the market, according to the On3 Transfer Portal Rankings.

Prior to his arrival in Raleigh, Hayes was a three-star recruit out of Greensboro, North Carolina, and was the No. 5 recruit in the state from the Class of 2020, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

The Tigers saw all 13 scholarship players from last season leave the program after LSU fired Will Wade amid a notice of allegations against the program. Two of those players — Darius Days and Tari Eason — declared for the NBA Draft, but the other 11 entered the transfer portal. Wilkinson is the first one to come back out of the portal.

McMahon is making some additions, though, bringing former Murray State guard Justice Hill with him to Baton Rouge and expressing interest in some big-time transfers in the portal.

South Carolina transfer Devin Carter has LSU in his top six, according to On3’s Joe Tipton. The Tigers also reportedly reached out to Morehead State transfer Johni Broome.