LSU Men’s Basketball Adds OVC Player of the Year KJ Williams

The LSU men's basketball team is adding yet another former Murray State Racer to its roster as forward KJ Williams is joining the Tigers' program.

A native of Cleveland, Mississippi, Williams was the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year.

For the 2021-22 season, Williams averaged 18.0 points a game to go along with 8.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per contest. He did that while averaging 29 minutes and starting all 34 games.

The 6'10" senior scored over 1,600 points and 800 rebounds in his four years at Murray State, becoming just the third Racer to top those marks in their career.

Williams played on three conference championship teams while helping the program make two NCAA tournament appearances in 2018-19 and 2021-22. Murray State advanced to the round of 32 both years.

Of course, Williams' head coach at Murray State was Matt McMahon, who was hired earlier this year as the new LSU head coach.

“KJ perfectly fits the profile of what we are building in Baton Rouge … elite talent, high character, great toughness, unselfish teammate, and the ability to impact winning. It has been very rewarding to watch his development throughout his career," said Coach McMahon.

“KJ is skilled in the post, effective in our ball screen system, and also shoots the ball extremely well from the three. I am so thankful for this unique opportunity to coach KJ for another year before he begins his professional career. We cannot wait for his arrival on campus this summer.”

With this latest addition, LSU now has 11 scholarship players on board for the 2022-23 season. KJ Williams joins transfer signees Kendal Coleman of Northwestern State, Murray State teammates Justice Hill and Trae Hannibal, Cam Hayes of NC State, and Derek Fountain of Mississippi State.

The Tigers also brought in prep signees Tyrell Ward (DeMatha Catholic), Jalen Reed (Southern California Academy) and Corneilous Williams (Combine Academy).

Only two members of LSU's 2021-22 team are scheduled to return to the team at this time and those two are Mwani Wilkinson and Justice Williams.