LSU Hoops pulls commitment from Mizzou transfer guard Xavier Pinson

Will Wade hadn't been shy about the importance of LSU hitting the transfer portal this offseason for immediate production.

And the Tigers received big news Monday in that regard as Missouri standout Xavier Pinson announced a commitment via Instagram.

Pinson started all 26 games for Mizzou this past season and averaged 13.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and a career-best 2.9 assists.

The Chicago native had named Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia and Nebraska as finalists just last weekend, before suddenly sounding more likely to land at LSU or Kansas entering this week.

And, on Monday, he shared an imaged of himself in an LSU jersey, next to Wade, over a purple-filtered Pete Maravich Assembly Center with the simple statement of "COMMITTED."

Pinson played in 88 games in three seasons for those Tigers, including 49 starts, and averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists during his career in Columbia, Mo.

His addition immediately bolsters a lineup expected to lose guards Javonte Smart and Cameron Thomas and forwards Darius Days and Trendon Watford to the NBA Draft.

That quartet accounted for more than 80 percent of LSU's points, 72.1 percent of its assists and 56.3 percent of its rebounds this season

Smart, Thomas and Watford each played 968 or more minutes, followed by Days at 754.

Freshman wing Mwani Wilkinson and junior forward Josh LeBlanc, himself a transfer from Georgetown just over a year ago, were the only other Tigers to surpass the 400-minutes mark for the year at 459 and 417, respectively.

Smart and Watford have each announced their decisions to enter NBA Draft, sign with an agent and forego any remaining college eligibility, while Days will not hire an agent and keep the door open for a potential return.

Thomas has yet to announce a decision, but is being widely ranked as a first-round prospect and potential lottery selection.