Transfer Analysis: LSU’s backcourt is set with trio of guards
LSU added a trio of exciting guards on Wednesday evening, rounding out their backcourt for the 2024-25 season. Miami point guard Shayeann Day-Wilson, Arizona off-guard Kailyn Gilbert, and Mississippi State freshman Mjracle Sheppard were added to the roster, giving the Tigers more than enough backcourt help to account for the departures of Hailey Van Lith, Kateri Poole, and Angelica Velez.
The three will be joining Flau’Jae Johnson, Mikaylah Williams, and Last-Tear Poa, along with freshman Jada Richard, giving the Tigers seven “guards” for next season. LSU had a major need in the transfer portal and addressed it in a big way in the month of April. Now, let’s take a closer look at the talent they acquired, their fit at LSU, and their potential roles in the coming season.
First, we’ll start with an analysis of the three players and stats to know.
Shayeann Day-Wilson
Day-Wilson led Miami in points per game at 11.9 and was essentially tied for first on the team in usage percentage at 21.7, a modest number for a player as talented as she is on a mediocre team. Watched clips from multiple games and the first thing that jumps out is her pace. She’s excellent at changing direction and creating separation off the dribble with a series of step backs, side steps, or step throughs, allowing her to get clean looks. I was impressed with her finishing on a few occasions.
She took some tough shots, but I never felt she really forced it, despite being the best player on the team. The tough 3-pointers will have to be cut from her shot diet at LSU, but overall, when you can shoot the ball as well as she can, she’s always had the green light. Tshe shot 36.8 percent from deep on 5.3 attempts per game and is especially comfortable off the dribble. Also, the form is excellent, quick dip, elbow in, clean release. After the struggles of Hailey Van Lith and Last-Tear Poa offensively, she’s a breath of fresh air with her ability to be flexible for this offense, making open threes both off the bounce and on the catch.
The numbers told me she could pass. 3.5 assists to 2.1 turnovers. A 23.9 assist rate, which would have been the highest on LSU’s team last year. Day-Wilson provides playmaking from the point guard position that LSU just did not have last year. There’s a reason the point guard position was so important in the portal and it’s to have someone who can set the table for the talented players on this roster.
Kailyn Gilbert
Once I started watching Arizona games from last year, I had a hard time stopping. Game after game, Gilbert showed exceptional talent on the court and was one of the most exciting players on the court. Watched her face Utah, Texas, New Mexico State, and Washington State and every game was the same.
First, she can push the pace as well as anyone in the country and she’s tough to stop once she gets downhill. Time after time, she would grab a rebound and beat everyone down the court for a layup. She can shift gears and put a ton of pressure on defenses with her ability to get to the rim and finish with either hand. She shoots with her right hand, but had a ton of finishes with her left.
The strength is evident on drives, but she can also post up and can expose smaller defenders consistently, embracing contact. She got to the line 4.2 times per game and shot 77.1 percent from the stripe. Then you get to the shooting and it was a legit question since she only attempted 2.6 3-pointers per game last year, but shot 40 percent. After watching, I do have questions about the mechanics and consistency, but Gilbert was able to hit a lot of different types of 3-pointers from what I watched and wasn’t afraid to pull. Even if she doesn’t shoot 40 percent next year, she should be in the mid-to-high 30s pretty comfortably.
I love her as a rebounder. There’s a toughness she plays with on both ends where she just has a nose for the ball and that’s incredibly valuable. She seems like a capable passer, with a solid 17.7 assist rate. She had a 30.6 usage rate last year, which will have to come way down, but overall, if she can buy into her role, she’s a perfect pick up for this team.
The final aspect of her game is her defense. Arizona beat reporters talked about her lack of willingness to defend, and after watching the tape, it seems complicated. When Arizona played Texas, Gilbert guarded the Big 12 preseason Player of the Year, Rori Harmon. There’s clearly a strength and physicality Gilbert can provide on that end, but overall, it’s clearly a weakness right now. The off-ball defense needs work – knowing when to help, how to not lose a shooter, ball watching. The on-ball defense all depends on her effort on that play. She clearly had a lot on her plate on offense, which can force a lot of players to take some plays off on defense, but if she wants to stay on the court at LSU, she has to improve as a defender.
Mjracle Sheppard
Going in, I knew Sheppard’s strength was her defense, but the overall potential is exciting. At 5-foot-10 with a long wingspan, Sheppard’s offensive game was further along than I thought. Sure, she can’t shoot (1-of-10 on the year), and she had some bad turnovers, but the playmaking ability was obvious and she’s able to get to the rim and finish against smaller guards.
Then you get to her defense and it’s exactly what you’d expect. Heck, the reason Kim Mulkey probably wanted her so bad was after remembering what Sheppard did to LSU, logging SIX steals in an upset win. Sheppard has a 3.7 steal percentage, ranking 103rd in country. The defensive intensity, the instincts, and the tools are all on full display. Love her helpside awareness off the ball and her willingness to get in the grill of other guards on the ball. Mulkey is going to love her.
LSU’s backcourt is set
First of all, I’m not sure LSU could have had a better transfer haul of guards if they were able to hand-pick their players, besides maybe Georgia Amoore. Sure, Lucy Olsen, Taliah Scott, and Deja Kelly can score, but that’s not what LSU needed. The Tigers got a true veteran point guard, a rotation scoring guard, and a young player dripping with potential. The fit alongside Flau’Jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams is superb.
My first thought is Day-Wilson will start at point guard, while Gilbert will be one of the first off the bench. Sheppard will be in direct competition with Last-Tear Poa for those backup point guard minutes. It’s a great situation to be in.
We’ll have to see how they play together, especially Gilbert being on a team with this much talent, but if she signed up to play for Mulkey and this team, she knows what she’s signing up for. The last two years have been hard for LSU with limited depth after dismissals and injuries, but Mulkey and her staff are doing everything they can to round out the roster and compete directly with the overwhelming depth South Carolina has accumulated. There are still spots available in the frontcourt, but now, the backcourt is set.
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