Senior Spotlight: Xavier Pinson looking to make an impact after LSU Transfer

Xavier Pinson, a 6-foot-2, 154-pound senior guard, recently transferred to LSU from Missouri. He is now expected to be an immediate impact player for the LSU Tigers. On3 basketball analyst KJ Smith breaks down how he fits in Baton Rouge.

Pinson is coming off a strong season. At Mizzou, he averaged almost 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists as a junior. Last year, Pinson had a huge scoring outburst against TCU. He had 36 points – 24 of which came from behind the 3-point line. His confidence rising after last season, Pinson is poised to make his LSU debut a strong and impactful one.

Although his minutes increased each of his three years at Mizzou, his field goal and 3-point percentage dropped each season. With that in mind, Pinson has still shown flashes of the talent he possesses. With a collegiate career 3-point percentage of 32%, 40% from midrange, and 37% from inside the free-throw line, Pinson has the chance to show the basketball world that he is the real deal at LSU.

Pinson is a great ballhandler and has the opportunity to take over the floor general role for the Tigers. Those are things that can increase his draft stock.

If Pinson can bring his assists per game average up, his ability to spread the floor for his teammates will increase.

Being able to run the pick-and-roll with teammates and big men Darius Days and Shareef O’Neal, Pinson, and the LSU Tigers have a shot at a season finishing with a March Madness birth.