Greg Sankey asks Louisiana court to prevent former St. John’s star, NBA preseason participant from joining LSU
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Greg Sankey is again at odds with an SEC school.
As reported by ESPN, Sankey has submitted an affidavit in the East Baton Rouge Parish court asking Judge Ronald Johnson to uphold NCAA rules against professional athletes returning to college and regaining eligibility. Sankey held a similar stance in the Charles Bediako matter at Alabama.
These rules are grounded in the principle that athletics are an integral part of the academic experience,” Sankey wrote, per ESPN. “The rules align the time permitted for college athletics with the pursuit of an undergraduate education and further the important purpose of preserving opportunities for future student-athletes to participate in college sports.
Sankey’s affidavit is for the case involving RJ Luis. The 2024-25 Big East Player of the Year, Luis was a standout at St. John’s. Luis signed a two-way NBA contract with the Utah Jazz in 2025 and was traded to the Boston Celtics. He played in 3 preseason games for the Celtics but missed the G League season due to injury. Luis has committed to play for Will Wade and the LSU Tigers.
Luis’s hearing is scheduled for Monday. Per ESPN, his attorneys say that ruling against their client would violate a Louisiana state legal precedent “that says associations ‘may not arbitrarily allow the privilege to some and not to others,'” citing the NCAA allowing players from European professional leagues to play college basketball.
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Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaign of Fred Taylor.
