Brandon Sampson to LSU: Tigers Land 4-Star SG Prospect

Brandon Sampson, one of the most intriguing guards in the 2015 class, has decided to play college basketball at LSU. It shouldn't take long for him to start making an impact in the Tigers backcourt.

Sampson announced his decision on Monday, via Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com.

Sampson is a 4-star prospect who ranks just outside of the top 50 nationally, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He also checks in as a top-15 option at the deep shooting guard position and is the top recruit coming from Louisiana.

The commitment gives the Tigers the top recruiting class in the nation according to 247Sports' team rankings.

The Madison Prep Academy star has displayed an impressive offensive skill set. He's excelled in transition thanks to his willingness to attack the paint and his ability to finish above the rim. He can also step back and knock down outside jumpers.

Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (via ZagsBlog.com) talked with the rising star's high school coach, Jeff Jones, who praised Sampson's development in recent years:

Man, he could be a program-changer. He's one of the few players who's gotten better and better every year and he still tries to get better. He's a hard worker. Very skilled shooter, but very athletic. Plays well above the rim. Whichever one of those programs he chooses, they're going to get one heckuva player.

Scout.com was also bullish in its evaluation of the aggressive guard:

Get up and go is the order of the day for Sampson. He's a fantastic fullcourt scorer with speed, bounce and the confidence to employ his talents against even the most predatory, shotblocking big men. He's an effective (albeit) streaky jump shooter as well with ample range past the three-point stripe. He'll need to tighten up his dribbling and get stronger to succeed in halfcourt scenarios.

As mentioned in that analysis, becoming more comfortable in the half-court offense will be perhaps the biggest part of his transition to the next level. The high school game is often more open and free-flowing, which has played to his strengths.

Part of that is also being a more consistent jump-shooter. He will discover that trying to get to the rim is tougher in college. He's shown the ability to make an impact from both mid-range and beyond the arc, but he must do so on a more regular basis.

That said, the outlook as a whole is still very positive. Sampson can score in multiple ways on the offensive end and has shown the drive to battle on the defensive end. LSU is getting a player who could use some polish but has a chance to become a complete package.

He's probably best ticketed for a reserve role at the outset—somebody who can come off the bench to provide an offensive spark when necessary. As long as his development continues at its current rate, however, he'll be a high-impact performer before too long.

Recruit star ratings and rankings via 247Sports, unless otherwise noted.