Report: Xavier Pinson in contact with Michigan State, Kentucky

Former LSU starting point guard Xavier Pinson has heard back from multiple Power Five teams since putting his name in the transfer portal days after LSU’s first round NCAA Tournament exit on top of firing head coach Will Wade. Kentucky and Michigan State are at the top of his list, according to reports.

Pinson announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on Thursday with a post on Instagram with the caption, “I will still be considering this university as my main priority. In the process, I will be seeking for a program who has the best plan in store for me & to raise my daughter. To the coaching staff, players, the fans, everyone involved in the many ups and downs here at LSU. Thank you guys so everything!”

While Pinson did say a return to LSU is on the table, KSR reported that on Thursday night, Kentucky reached out to Pinson about potentially transferring into the program. One year ago, news broke that Pinson, a then Missouri transfer, had been contacted by Kentucky about the same thing. Could John Calipari close in on an SEC veteran to lead the Wildcats alongside Sahvir Wheeler next season?

For Michigan State, leading scorer (11.6 points per game) and senior forward Gabe Brown chose to bypass his final year of eligibility to turn pro. Tyson Walker, AJ Hoggard, Max Christie and Jaden Akins dominated the guard rotation minutes-wise last season and are all poised to return to East Lansing for another season. Pinson should still find himself among the top of the rotation regardless of Izzo’s roster next season.

He averaged 9.8 points, 4.8 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.2 turnovers per game while shooting 36.5 percent from the floor and 24.2 from the 3-point line. Pinson’s 133 assists on the year were nearly 50 more than his previous season-high, although his 24.2 percent clip from 3-point range marked a career-low. Pinson started in 27 of 28 games he played in for the Tigers.

The former LSU Tiger spent his first three seasons with Mizzou before taking his talents to Baton Rouge for his fourth season. He averaged 10.3 points 2.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game there. Regardless of numbers, having four seasons of SEC basketball experience is something you can’t teach at practice and can only be learned from being a collegiate journeyman like Pinson.

With another year under his belt, teams like Xavier, Arizona State and others are reaching out, but now has his choice of Izzo or Calipari as well. Will one of these top recruiting coaches end up with one of the most experienced ball handlers in the transfer portal?