The transfer portal has the power to completely overhaul a college basketball team’s roster in a single offseason, something LSU fans are all too familiar with. This year, the LSU Tigers have seen several players depart, including Damion Collins, Vyctorius Miller, Corey Chest, Noah Boyde, Mike Williams III, and Noah Boyde. While Matt McMahon and his coaching staff have done an excellent job replacing these players, maintaining some continuity is always ideal.
On Friday, the LSU basketball team received good news when freshman Curtis Givens III confirmed he will return for a second season.
During his true freshman year, Givens III was called upon to start at point guard at times, playing an average of 18.3 minutes per game. He posted 4.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and shot 26.9% from the field. While Givens III didn’t make a huge impact and struggled with his shooting, if he can improve his scoring efficiency, he could develop into a valuable rotational player for LSU in the future.
Heading into the offseason, it was anticipated that McMahon might lose some members of last year’s freshman class, but the goal was to retain at least two of them. With Givens III and Robert Miller both expected to return, LSU will have two young players to continue developing.
This offseason, LSU also secured a new starting point guard, UNLV’s Dedan Thomas Jr. His arrival will likely reduce Givens III’s playing time, as Thomas will be a regular fixture on the court. While LSU sometimes plays two point guards at once, Givens will still face competition from the incoming freshmen for minutes this season.
