Top signee Morgan seeks LSU release

• By RANDY ROSETTA
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: May 7, 2008 - UPDATED: 6:22 a.m.

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The drama with the LSU men’s basketball program and high-profile recruit J’Mison Morgan arrived at a new crossroads this week.

Now it seems likely that the 6-foot-10, 275-pound center won’t be a Tiger after all.

Morgan’s mother, Bianca Morgan, said Tuesday that she has submitted paperwork to the LSU athletic department seeking a release from the letter of intent and scholarship agreement her son signed last November.

That letter of intent is binding according to NCAA rules, meaning LSU could deny Morgan’s request. If LSU chooses to do so, Morgan could either withdraw his request, attend LSU and play or opt to go to another school and sit out a year.

Regardless of how things turn out, Bianca Morgan said her son’s decision is final, an about-face from late April when Morgan and South Oak Cliff High School coach James Mays said the player was LSU-bound after an in-person meeting with new Tigers coach Trent Johnson on April 22.

Bianca Morgan said the final impetus for the change of heart was not hearing from Johnson since the meeting in Dallas two weeks ago.

“I was already not sure I wanted him to go there because of the coaching change and then when I didn’t get any calls back from Coach Johnson, that sealed it,” she said. “I just felt like if you want a kid, you should at least try so show him some type of interest. Coach Brady and (LSU associate head coach Butch Pierre) really recruited BoBo well and made him feel like they wanted him at LSU and were always trying to get in touch with him.

“I don’t want my kid going somewhere he’s not wanted. If Trent would have shown some kind of interest, this might not have happened.”

Reached Tuesday night, Johnson declined comment on Bianca Morgan’s comments.

But Johnson did say he still wants Morgan in the LSU program and has made repeated attempts since April 22 to contact Morgan and his mother and the calls have not been returned.

“I spoke to J’Mison and he told me he was trying to change his commitment and he didn’t give a reason for it; I’m trying to get to the bottom of things,” Mays said Tuesday. “I’m surprised. I thought he had made a commitment to LSU and was happy with the situation after he met with Coach Johnson. Everything seemed fine between them.”

Multiple calls to Morgan’s cell phone on Tuesday were not answered and messages were not returned.

He spoke to a reporter from the Dallas Morning News earlier Tuesday and said he was seeking a release from LSU with the intention of attending UCLA, one of the four other finalists during his high-profile recruitment.

“It was a real hard decision for me,” Morgan said in a story on the Morning News’ Web site, Dallasnews.com. “My comfort level was at LSU, but I felt like UCLA was a better fit for me as far as exposure.”

Morgan acknowledged a strong connection to Pierre, who accompanied Johnson during the in-home visit with Morgan and his mother.

Pierre was LSU’s interim coach after Brady was fired and was a candidate for the permanent job. Johnson has asked the Darrow native to remain on LSU’s staff.

“I felt like I had a better bond with Coach Pierre,” Morgan said in the story on Dallasnews.com. “Coach Johnson is a good coach, but I didn’t feel all that comfortable with him. I just didn’t want to go into a newer situation.”

As a senior at South Oak Cliff, Morgan averaged 13.5 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots and helped lead the Bears to their fourth consecutive Class 4A Texas state championship.

He is ranked as the 25th best player from the Class of 2008 by Rivalshoops.com and 29th by Scouthoops.com.

Bolstered by Morgan’s commitment, LSU’s 2008 class was ranked 18th nationally by Rivals and 20th by Scout.