LSU basketball coach Matt McMahon reached the NCAA-allowed 13 scholarship limit this week when forward Daimion Collins committed to the Tigers.
A little more than a month after entering the transfer portal, Collins tweeted the word COMMITTED! with purple and gold emojis and the hashtag #GeauxTigers.
The 6-foot-9, 210-pounder played the past two seasons at Kentucky after being a consensus five-star recruit out of Atlanta, Texas. He was ranked as the No. 14 prospect nationally in the 2021 class by 247Sports.
Collins was the Texas Gatorade player of the year that season when he averaged 35.2 points, 14.4 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 6.2 blocks in leading Atlanta High School to a 19-5 record. Atlanta was undefeated in the three previous seasons.
Collins played in the three biggest postseason games for high school seniors -- the McDonald's All-American game, the Jordan Brand Classic and the Allen Iverson Roundball Classic.
But he had trouble finding a spot on a talented and deep Kentucky roster in two seasons there, averaging 7.7 minutes in 52 career games with two starts.
One of his best games in a Wildcats' uniform came when he posted career-highs of 14 points and four blocks to go with six rebounds in his Rupp Arena debut against Robert Morris in November 2021.
As a freshman, Collins played in 27 games with one start and averaged 2.9 points and 2.0 rebounds. Last season, he appeared in 25 games with one start, averaging 1.9 points and 1.9 rebounds.
Collins averaged 2.4 points and 2.0 rebounds for his career.
After he announced April 21 that he was entering the transfer portal, Kentucky coach John Calipari tweeted: "Daimion Collins had a year I wouldn't wish on anyone & has been through more than any player should, including losing his grandfather in the last week. He's a talented player & a good person w/a bright future."
Collins is the sixth transfer to join the LSU program this spring along with center Will Baker (Nevada), guards Jalen Cook (Tulane) and Carlos Stewart (Santa Clara), forward Hunter Dean (George Washington) and guard/forward Jordan Wright (Vanderbilt).
LSU roster
Returnees (5)
F Derek Fountain
G Trae Hannibal
F Jalen Reed
F Tyrell Ward
F Mwani Wilkinson
Transfers (6)
C Will Baker
F Daimion Collins
G Jalen Cook
F Hunter Dean
G Carlos Stewart
F/G Jordan Wright
Freshmen (2)
F Corey Chest
G Mike Williams