“I’m back.”

With all the uncertainty surrounding the LSU basketball program over the last few months, two words on an Instagram post by Javonte Smart on Saturday night had Tiger fans excited about the Baton Rouge native returning for his sophomore season.

Smart was one of six players that declared for the 2019 NBA Draft along with Naz Reid, Tremont Waters, Skylar Mays, Marlon Taylor and Emmitt Williams. The 6’4”, 201-pound guard is the first player to announce a return to the program ahead of the May 29th deadline while Reid and Waters are remaining in the NBA Draft.

Smart is coming off of a great 2018-19 campaign with LSU, averaging 11.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game in 34 games.

-Clint Domingue