Kermit Davis discusses addition of multiple DPOY transfers

Ole Miss basketball struggled to find its footing in the 2021-22 season under head coach Kermit Davis, but 2022-23 brings new potential as stars return from injury and new faces arrive from the transfer portal. Among those new faces, more than a few have strong defensive resumes which make their matchups in the SEC an intriguing proposition.

In addition to two four-star recruits and two three-star recruits, Kermit Davis brought former Buffalo forward Josh Mballa, former Jackson State forward Jayveous McKinnis and former Louisiana center Theo Akwuba into the fold via transfer. He also added former NAIA star Myles Burns from Loyola New Orleans.

Mballa won the MAC Defensive Player of the Year award in the 2020-21 season, and is a two-time MAC All-Defensive Team selection. McKinnis is a three-time SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, while Akwuba took home the 2020-21 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year award. In addition, the Rebels pick up Burns after he won four consecutive SSAC Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Davis recently spoke about the importance of adding so much defensive firepower to the team via transfers in a summer press conference.

“Yeah, we’ll be a much more aggressive defensive team,” said Davis. “I think we’ll be able to play our 1-3-1, we haven’t worked on it yet, but it’s going to be something that we’ll be able to do at a much higher level than last year. It’ll be a deeper, more athletic, physical team that you can go and be really competitive in the non-conference and for sure in the SEC.”

Kermit Davis on Ole Miss additions

The group of former Defensive Player of the Year winners will certainly bring a new look to the Ole Miss team in 2022-23, providing Kermit Davis the opportunity to combine rim protection with elite on-ball defense and frustrate offenses.

As he continued speaking about the players acquired through the transfer portal, Davis had good things to say about all four.

“I think obviously, Jayveous, what he’s done,” said Davis, referencing the three Defensive Player of the Year awards. “Theo… Defensive Player of the Year a couple years ago – got hampered by a little stress reaction last year – shot blocking ability, being able to guard around the goal. Josh Mballa is another guy that, he’s only been here two weeks but you can tell his physicality, he’s got a great motor. Myles Burns, who obviously led college basketball in offensive rebounds and steals.”