BATON ROUGE – New Orleans native Craig Victor, a highly ranked and recruited prep basketball star, has signed Southeastern Conference scholarship papers to transfer to the LSU men’s basketball team from the University of Arizona.
Victor’s papers were received and validated by the LSU Compliance Department and announced Friday by LSU men’s basketball coach Johnny Jones.
The 6-9, 230-pound Victor played the fall semester (2014) at the University of Arizona and will be eligible to practice with the Tigers, but will not see game action under transfer rules until the end of the fall semester (2015). He will have three years of eligibility remaining.
“We are excited about the addition of Craig Victor to our basketball team,” said Coach Jones. “With his size, strength and his ability to defend the paint and rebound he will be a great presence on the defensive end of the floor. Offensively, he has the ability to play with his back to the basket or face up to score. He is also an excellent post passer. He will be a great addition and an exceptional talent that we are adding to our program.”
ESPN ranked Victor as the No. 9 power forward in the country (37th overall) and the No. 1 player from Louisiana in his recruiting class by ESPN out of Findlay Prep in Las Vegas. He averaged 13.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, leading Findlay to a 31-5 record and a No. 6 national ranking. He was named the 2013 Times-Picayune Large School Player of the Year and first on the 2013 NOLA.com Super 16. He averaged 14.1 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game at St. Augustine High in New Orleans. Victor helped St. Aug to a state runnerup up finish in 2012 and a state title in 2011 as a freshman.
“I’m happy to be able to start this chapter of my life and basketball career at LSU,” said Victor. “I’m happy to be home. I want to thank and offer my appreciation to Coach Sean Miller and his staff at Arizona. I learned a lot from that staff and wish them well as the season goes on. I want to thank the Arizona fans for all their support and look forward to soon playing in front of another great group of fans at LSU.
“I look forward to being able to further develop my skills with Coach Jones and the LSU coaching staff. I have always had a great family support system (in New Orleans) and I look forward to being closer to home and having them able to be a part of my time at LSU. It’s an exciting and new challenge.”
Victor was coached by Jerome Williams at Findlay Prep and Mitchell Johnson at St. Augustine.
He played in eight games at Arizona, hitting 8-of-13 field goal attempts and averaging 3.1 points and 1.1 rebounds.