Chris Beard addresses TJ Caldwell departure from Ole Miss program

Only hours before Ole Miss squared off against Long Island in its season opener on Monday evening, junior guard TJ Caldwell announced on X that he would be redshirting this season. After the game, Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard addressed Caldwell’s surprising decision.

“I’m a big TJ Caldwell fan,” Beard said. “We experienced a lot in our time together. We really appreciate everything he did with our program both on and off the court. He’s a good person, good player.

“This is part of college basketball. We wish him the best, period. He’s a guy that I’ll always pull for… He’s no longer a part of our team here, but we wish him the best. He’s got a bright, bright future.”

Caldwell spent two seasons with the Rebels, amassing 63 appearances and seven starts for the team. In the 2023-24 campaign, Caldwell averaged 5.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game while shooting 39.1% from the field and 35.1% from beyond the arc.

Caldwell’s best game of the season came against Mississippi State on Jan. 30 when he scored a season-high 18 points. After the game, Beard raved about Caldwell’s talent.

“Talented young guy,” Beard said. “Just striving for consistency like we all are, myself included. I’ve been really impressed with his approach the past couple of weeks in practice, individual workouts, film sessions. TJ’s got a demeanor about him. He doesn’t get too high, he doesn’t get too low. In my opinion, this will translate into not only being a great player in the SEC, but being a pro one day.

“He’s just got a poise about him that we feed off of in a lot of ways,” Beard continued. “It’s a players’ game, right?… TJ is a guy I really believe in. If he runs his own race, I think he’ll be a pro.”

TJ Caldwell played high school basketball at Faith Family Academy, where he was a three-star recruit and the No. 154 overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. No longer on Ole Miss’ team, Caldwell is expected to enter the transfer portal.

Despite the sudden loss, Ole Miss handled business on Monday, defeating Long Island 90-60. Rebels guard Jaylen Murray paved the way in the win, notching a game-high 24 points while shooting 5-8 from beyond the arc.