LSU lands three players on Naismith Preseason Watchlist
The Naismith Trophy announced its Preseason Watchlist on Monday afternoon and LSU’s Flau’Jae Johnson, Aneesah Morrow and Mikaylah Williams made up a trio of Tigers to make the cut. LSU was one of six schools to have at least three players on the 50-player watchlist, as the Tigers enter the year as the No. 7 team in the country in the AP Poll.
The regular season is one week away as LSU is slated to face Eastern Kentucky next Monday in the PMAC. The Tigers have their second of two exhibitions Wednesday at 7 p.m. at home against LSU-Alexandria.
Kim Mulkey enters her fourth season at LSU. In addition to Johnson, Morrow and Williams, LSU returns Last-Tear Poa and Sa’Myah Smith who both have starting experience at LSU too. The Tigers also brought in four transfers in Shayeann Day-Wilson, Kailyn Gilbert, Mjracle Sheppard and Jersey Wolfenbarger.
Johnson enters her junior season at LSU as one of the top returning guards in the league. She is coming off a sophomore season in which she averaged 14.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game to earn a spot on the Second Team All-SEC. Johnson upped her play throughout the 2024 NCAA Tournament, averaging 20.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in four games as LSU reached the Elite Eight. The 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year, Johnson was a critical piece as a starter on LSU’s first National Championship team.
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Senior Aneesah Morrow is entering her second season at LSU after averaging a double-double last season with 16.4 points and 10.0 rebounds per game to earn a spot on the First Team All-SEC. Her 21 double-doubles last year ranked No. 5 nationally. Not only is Morrow and threat scoring and rebounding, but her defensive prowess allowed her to gain 93 steals throughout the season which is tied for the third most in program history. Morrow, a Chicago native, who previously played in her hometown at DePaul enters the season ranked in the top-5 nationally in career scoring (2,178 points) and rebounding (1,229 rebounds) among active players. Morrow will make her return to Chicago on December 19 as LSU is scheduled to play at Illinois-Chicago to allow her to play in front of her hometown fans.
Williams is the reigning SEC Freshman of the Year as she will make her return to North Louisiana. Williams put together one of the best freshman seasons in LSU history last year, averaging 14.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, becoming just the fifth LSU player to rank inside the top-10 in points and assists by a freshman in program history. She scored 20+ points in seven games, including a 42-point performance against Kent State, the most ever recorded by a LSU freshman during the NCAA Era.
