Chris Beard likes the core of his debut Ole Miss basketball roster. But the Rebels are ‘never done’ recruiting.
Ole Miss basketball has maxed-out its full allotment (13) of scholarships.
But first-year Rebel head coach Chris Beard isn’t writing off another recruiting move or two before the season starts.
And he never will.
That’s always been his style. But roster-building these days — with the dominance of NIL and the transfer portal — is a 12-month process, anyway. So, Beard will never close the door on any potential opportunity.
And it’s hard to argue against his methods so far.
Ole Miss signed a Top 15 portal class.
Actually, in June, nine teams in the Top 50 of On3’s college basketball transfer portal rankings had added at least three transfers and had a star class rating of 90.00 or better. Tennessee (3, 93.00) was No. 1.
Ole Miss (4, 92.25) was No. 2.
“Never done. It’s not a coaching cliche; it’s just the truth,” Beard said. Beard this week welcomed the Ole Miss Spirit to the Tuohy Center for a fireside-chat of a one-on-one interview.
“If there’s something we can do to improve our team, to improve our roster, to improve our organization, we’re going to do it, period. We do like our core. We’re starting to form an identity. It’s a work in progress, but, no, we’re always kind of (locked in) in the recruiting world.
“There’s not a day goes by that we don’t talk about recruiting.”
RELATED: Ole Miss basketball’s Top 15 portal class filled with players who fit Chris Beard archetype
Ole Miss added six transfers in the spring/early summer.
The haul: Jaylen Murray — guard, Saint Peter’s; Allen Flanigan — wing, Auburn; Moussa Cisse — center, Oklahoma State/Memphis; Jamarion Sharp — center, Western Kentucky; Austin Nunez — guard, Arizona State; and Brandon Murray — guard, Georgetown/Memphis.
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Beard also retained Ole Miss veterans Matthew Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield and now-second-year guards TJ Caldwell and Robert Cowherd. He signed forward Jacob Gazzo, as well as centers Rashaud Marshall and Cameron Barnes, in his 2023 high-school class.
Marshall was ranked as a four-star and Top 100 prospect by the On3 Industry Ranking. The On3 Industry Ranking is a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
“Most places it’s the seventh class day is the last time you can become a student,” Beard said, when asked to provide a rough timetable on when the roster could/should be finalized.
“Really, in our world, it goes all the way up to that. And then it shifts quickly to semester, ‘cause from time to time we’re able to add a really good player at semester. We’re always going to be flexible in recruiting. We always want to leave ourselves the option of being a part of something great if it’s presented in front of us.”
