When SEC Media Day begins on Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama there will be a noticeable absence. LSU coach Will Wade, Kansas State transfer Abdi Bashir Jr. and Kentucky transfer Mouhamed Dioubate won't be in attendance due to "inclement weather," the SEC announced. There was a ground stop in Baton Rouge due to fog on Tuesday morning.

Wade was scheduled to speak second at the event, after Auburn coach Steven Pearl and players Kevin Overton and Tahaad Pettiford took questions from reporters. LSU women's coach Kim Mulkey was also scheduled to appear at SEC Media Day on Tuesday alongside MiLaysia Fulwiley, ZaKiyah Johnson and Mikaylah Williams, but they will also not be in attendance.

The Tigers were picked to finish 14th in the preseason SEC poll release on Monday, with Mississippi State and South Carolina being the only teams selected to finish below them. LSU fired Matt McMahon after four seasons with the program after the Tigers finished last (3-15) in the SEC last season.

Wade's roster construction has been under a microscope this season, due to a handful of his players currently in eligibility limbo. LSU had its exhibition debut last week against McNeese and came away with a 63-60 win despite playing just seven players. The Tigers had just four players listed on their active roster as of a few days ago, before it was updated to include 10 total players.

Notable additions to LSU's roster over the last few days include UCLA transfer Donovan Dent, international big man Michael Ružić and freshman Jordan Bender. Notable players Wade recruited this offseason that still aren't listed on the team's official roster: Former Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis Jr., UCLA transfer Skyy Clark and Gilad Levy, Brice Dessert and Saliou Niang from the international ranks.

SEC basketball 2026-27 preseason poll and predictions: Alabama, Georgia overrated; LSU, Missouri underrated
Cameron Salerno
SEC basketball 2026-27 preseason poll and predictions: Alabama, Georgia overrated; LSU, Missouri underrated

Wade has made a handful of media appearances in recent weeks, including his first public remarks about his "unconventional" roster last month, ahead of his team's first scrimmage against McNeese.

"What we're doing is unconventional," Wade said last month. "I understand that. But, 20 years ago, Airbnb was unconventional. Everybody stayed in a hotel. Fifteen years ago, you rode in a taxi everywhere. Now you take Uber. So, like, just because it's unconventional doesn't mean it's not going to work. Now, it may not work. If it doesn't work, write about what an idiot I am. I understand that. But just because it's unconventional, like I told our guys, we're going to be unconventional. We're going to be unapologetic about it. It is what it is. We're going to be unapologetic. This is who we are. This is what we're doing. This is the path that we charted. We're going to go down it."

LSU has two scrimmages left against UCF (on Wednesday) and Florida State (Oct. 24) before it opens the 2026-27 campaign at home against New Orleans on Nov. 3

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