2026 Australian wing Marcus Vaughns commits to LSU over NBL
LSU has picked up its first commitment for the 2026 class as Marcus Vaughns announced his decision on Thursday evening, choosing the Tigers over playing professionally in Australia. The 6-foot-8 native Australian made an official visit to Baton Rouge in mid-February, where he left blown away by every part of what he saw.
He went back home needing to make a decision by this summer of whether he’d play college ball or play in the NBL in Australia and he has now made his choice.
“The visit was awesome,” Vaughns said in March. “It really blew me away. I already knew their facilities were top tier, but when I saw it, it really blew my mind. The coaching staff, the performance center, the academic centers, it’s all very nice and LSU is an amazing place.”
His relationship with associate head coach David Patrick was the driving force behind his visit and his recruitment to LSU as Patrick is extremely well regarded as a recruiter both in America and around the world and has relationships with people all over. It was a chance for Vaughns to see Patrick again, but also get to know the rest of the staff on this trip.
“I have a good relationship with coach McMahon considering the first time I met him was at the visit,” Vaughns said. “Coach David Patrick, I’ve known him basically my whole life, since I was like five years old. It was good to build a relationship with the rest of the staff as well.
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“Coach Patrick has known my dad [for a long time]. When he was at TCU he would fly out to Australia pretty regularly and I met him at a practice and ever since then I see him everytime he flies out. Just recently he flew out to come watch one of my practices.”
Vaughns was selected for the Basketball without Borders in NBA All-Star Weekend and is viewed as one of the best international young prospects in the world. He has also played in the G League Showcase in 2024, further showing his talent level and potential for the next level.
“[The coaches] were talking about how many draft picks have come through the SEC, how many top 25 teams are in the SEC, and how that conference is the best conference in college basketball for exposure,” Vaughns said. “They definitely hyped that up.”
A couple of other high-level programs reached out, but LSU’s effort recruiting Vaughns was the difference and made him confident in choosing the Tigers instead of keeping his recruitment open through 2025. Now, Matt McMahon and his staff have an exciting piece for the future and one that brings a unique flair from down under.
