NCIS Stars' Comments About LL Cool J's Return As Sam Hanna Have Me Wondering Whether He'll Become A Full-Time Addition

Even though it’s been nearly two years since NCIS: Los Angeles ended after 14 seasons, LL Cool J just can’t seem to stay away. The rapper reprised his role as Special Agent Sam Hanna in the third season of NCIS: Hawai’i in a recurring guest spot. Now that that spinoff is done, he isn’t. He is set to return to NCIS once again on the 2025 TV schedule, but after hearing cast comments about his appearance, I’m wondering if it could turn into a full-time gig.

After CBS dropped a first look at LL Cool J on NCIS, it made me even more excited for his return to the franchise. He’ll be appearing in Monday’s episode, helping the D.C. team with a case that only he can solve. In an Us Weekly exclusive sneak peek, Katrina Law shared her excitement at having the NCIS: LA star back on set, and it sounds like it was a blast:

It sounds like LL Cool J is the life of the party whenever he appears on NCIS, which always make the episodes that much better. He hasn’t been on NCIS since the three-show crossover in early 2023, so it’s certainly been a long time coming.

Plus, Law isn’t the only NCIS star to sing her praises about him, as Sean Murray said:

Since the NCIS cast can't say enough good things about LL Cool J, how possible would it be for him to make a full-time return? It wouldn’t be unusual for him to hop over to NCIS on a permanent basis, or at the very least, another recurring guest role like NCIS: Hawai’i.

While his episode of NCIS hasn’t yet premiered, it can be assumed that Sam manages to crack the case with the D.C. team, and it will just make me want Sam to stick around. Knowing that the cast loves having LL Cool J on set, it’s certainly possible. But it would also have to work with his own schedule. At the very least, it would be fun to have him recur again in the upcoming 23^rd season.

Even with numerous spinoffs, no character in the NCIS universe has made the full-time jump to a different series, and this doesn’t including the upcoming NCIS: Tony & Ziva spinoff. We haven’t seen any NCIS: NOLA characters since the show ended, and Sam’s really the only one who has had a consistent role in the NCIS-verse since Los Angeles ended, aside from Daniela Ruah’s Kensi Blye appearing in the 1,000^th episode via video since Ruah was actually directing an episode of Hawai’i.

Whether or not LL Cool J will ever fully join NCIS is unknown, but hopefully, these guest appearances never stop regardless. He’ll be making his highly-anticipated return as Sam Hanna in Monday’s new episode airing at 9 p.m. ET on CBS, streaming the next day with a Paramount+ subscription.