Former LSU guard Tyrell Ward set to enter NCAA Transfer Portal

Tyrell Ward is set to enter the transfer portal, as first reported by The Athletic on Friday evening. Ward contributed to LSU in Matt McMahon’s first two seasons, but then left the program just before the start of the 2024-25 season, leaving the Tigers shorthanded. Ward was one of the top shooters in the SEC in 2024 and left a sizable hole that LSU struggled to fill and now he is set to enter the portal.

Story from Tyrell Ward’s departure

“LSU junior Tyrell Ward will be stepping away from the men’s basketball program, the team announced 10 minutes before the first game of the season. Ward had been held out of the exhibition last week and Matt McMahon did not give a reason as to why in the days leading up to Wednesday, but released the news before tipoff.

“Tyrell Ward and I have decided that he will be stepping away from the program to focus on his mental health. I do not anticipate him returning to competition this season. We are very appreciative of his contributions to our program and we will be supporting him every step of the way moving forward.”

Ward averaged 9.1 points on 43.8 percent shooting from the field, but was especially dangerous from behind the arc, shooting 41.3 percent form3-point range last season while averaging 22 minutes per game. For a stretch, he was the best shooter in the SEC statistically and had the most memorable moment of the season last year, scoring a putback bucket at the buzzer to beat Kentucky in the PMAC.

Without him, LSU is down to 11 scholarship players and has limited depth on the wing. Still, there’s an expectation the Tigers have enough scoring with the transfer additions Jordan Sears and Cam Carter, while also returning playmakers Jalen Reed, Mike Williams, and Daimion Collins. The Tigers showed in the exhibition win that there’s enough talent to continue to compete in the SEC.

“I thought the exhibition game was a good start. I like the unselfishness that we played with on the offensive side of the ball,” said Coach McMahon. “I though in the first half of the game we were really disruptive defensively, as far as forcing turnovers and forcing tough contested shots. So (we) want to see more of the same there. I think a big question mark for me as I look to the game is going to be the rebounding. I think UL-Monroe has got great size … They’re physical at the four position, you know, really, also the guards, the rebound well at the guard position. So I think the glass will be an area I’m paying very close attention to (Wednesday).”

Transfer portal background information

The NCAA Transfer Portal, which covers every NCAA sport at the Division I, II and III levels, is a private database with names of student-athletes who wish to transfer. It is not accessible to the public.

The process of entering the portal is done through a school’s compliance office. Once a player provides written notification of an intent to transfer, the office enters the player’s name in the database and everything is off and running. The compliance office has 48 hours to comply with the player’s request and that request cannot be refused.

Once a player’s name shows up in the portal, other schools can contact the player. Players can change their minds at any point and withdraw from the portal. However, once a player enters the portal, the current scholarship no longer has to be honored. In other words, if a player enters the portal but decides to stay, the school is not obligated to provide a scholarship anymore.

The database is a normal database, sortable by a variety of topics, including (of course) sport and name. A player’s individual entry includes basic details such asynchronous contact info, whether the player was on scholarship and whether the player is transferring as a graduate student.