Texas Southern Coach Johnny Jones Confirms LSU Discussions, But Says 'Nothing Is Concrete'

Jones pushed back on reports of his departure, calling them 'bogus' and 'disappointing,' but acknowledged he is in talks with new LSU head coach Will Wade.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 2:36pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting the abstract shapes and angles of a college basketball game, conveying the uncertainty and high-stakes nature of coaching changes in the sport.The potential departure of a legendary HBCU basketball coach exposes the fragility of success and the high-stakes nature of coaching changes in college sports.Houston Today

Texas Southern University head basketball coach Johnny Jones has denied reports that he has resigned from the program, calling them 'bogus' and 'disappointing.' However, Jones did confirm that he is in discussions with new LSU head coach Will Wade about a potential assistant coaching role, though he stated that 'nothing is concrete' at this point.

Why it matters

Jones has been a highly successful head coach at Texas Southern, leading the Tigers to four NCAA Tournament appearances, nine consecutive postseason berths, and the program's second-ever NCAA Tournament win in 2021. His potential departure would be a significant loss for the HBCU basketball program.

The details

In an interview with HBCU Legends, Jones pushed back on reports that he had already resigned from Texas Southern, calling them 'bogus' and 'disappointing.' He confirmed that he remains the head coach of the Tigers and is 'in discussions' with new LSU head coach Will Wade about a potential assistant coaching role, but stated that 'nothing is concrete' at this time. Sources at both Texas Southern and LSU could not confirm that a formal offer has been made to Jones.

  • On March 31, 2026, reports emerged that Jones was departing Texas Southern to join the LSU staff.
  • Jones spoke with HBCU Legends on March 31, 2026 to deny the reports and clarify the situation.

The players

Johnny Jones

The head basketball coach at Texas Southern University, who has built the program into a perennial SWAC contender with four NCAA Tournament appearances and nine consecutive postseason berths.

Will Wade

The new head basketball coach at LSU, who is reportedly in discussions with Jones about a potential assistant coaching role on his staff.

Texas Southern University

The HBCU basketball program that Jones has led to great success, including the program's second-ever NCAA Tournament win in 2021.

LSU

The SEC basketball program that is reportedly interested in adding Jones to its coaching staff under new head coach Will Wade.

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What they’re saying

“Nothing is concrete.”

— Johnny Jones, Head Coach, Texas Southern University

“The reports of my departure are bogus and disappointing.”

— Johnny Jones, Head Coach, Texas Southern University

What’s next

The situation remains fluid, as Jones has not resigned from Texas Southern and no formal offer has been made by LSU. The program and its fans await a resolution on Jones' future.

The takeaway

This story highlights the uncertainty and high-stakes nature of coaching changes in college basketball, particularly at the HBCU level where successful programs and coaches can be vulnerable to poaching by larger, better-resourced programs. The potential loss of Jones would be a significant blow to Texas Southern's basketball program.