To return to the NCAA tournament, a team needs contributions from both returning players and incoming recruits. Here's a look at LSU and its chances of dancing again in 2016.
Quick references:
Possible 2015-16 starting five
Who is lost: The only two seniors on the LSU roster are guard Antonio Robinson and forward John Odo, who both play less than 10 minutes per game, which means all five starters could return. Front-line stars Martin and Mickey could make the jump to the NBA, but both will probably look long and hard at staying in Baton Rouge for their junior seasons.
Who is added: Coach Johnny Jones went out and landed the No. 1 player in the class of 2015 in power forward Ben Simmons, whose godfather is LSU assistant coach David Patrick. Simmons has great size and tremendous versatility. He is a skilled, unselfish super star who is an immediate difference-maker for the Tigers. Joining Simmons in Baton Rouge will be the No. 2 overall shooting guard in the class of 2015 in Antonio Blakeney (No. 14) who is wired to score and plays with off-the-charts offensive confidence. He is capable of huge numbers in a short period of time. Both Simmons and Blakeney are both McDonald's All-American Team selections. The presence of Simmons and Blakeney help make up the sixth-best recruiting class nationally.
What it means for next season: On paper, the Tigers are flat out loaded for next season. With their top eight players scheduled to return and by adding Simmons and Blakeney, LSU will be one of the must talented teams in the country. They have top-five talent and should be a lock to return to the NCAA tournament.
Trending: Up. LSU will continue to be an NCAA tournament-caliber team and in the SEC title conversation under Jones, who is one of college basketball's top recruiters, especially in the Southwest and Southern regions of the country.