OXFORD, Miss. — The echoes of bouncing basketballs and squeaking sneakers inside the SJB Pavilion are familiar.
What’s different this summer is the voice that rises above them—a voice that, a year ago, was content to observe and learn. Now, it’s unmistakably Malik Dia’s.
The senior forward, all 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds of him, has become the rare returning presence on a rebuilt Rebels roster, which features 12 new faces and just four holdovers from last year.
Coach Chris Beard, entering his third season in Oxford, has made roster turnover an art form. But for all the shiny new talent, it’s Dia’s steadiness that’s anchoring the team’s identity.
“It’s early, but Malik is trying,” Beard said this week, reflecting on the team’s summer workouts. “He’s working on just his maturity in terms of handling success and handling adversity. He’s working on trying to be a leader in his own way and that all starts with relationships with his teammates.
“It’s very visible that he’s a returner. Last year, as a new player, you’re just trying to survive. This year, he seems to be a little more confident in himself, not pressing so much on the court and off the court. He’s doing a good job getting to know his teammates early on.”
For Dia, who averaged 10.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in his first season at Ole Miss, this is uncharted territory. In 2023, he was the new kid, a transfer with potential but little sway among a roster heavy with veterans.
He watched as the likes of Sean Pedulla and Jaemyn Brakefield set the tone and quietly took notes on what leadership looked like in the SEC.
“Last year I wouldn’t say we had one set leader. Sean did a really good job leading us,” Dia said. “Matt did a good job, Brake did a really good job. But all the seniors, since we had a lot of them, did their own leading in different moments and in different ways.
“I was kind of learning from them. Every once in a while I would speak up, but most of the time I was sitting back and learning from those guys. What they’ve done throughout their career and just listening how they were pitching into last year’s team. I can pick up from that coming into this year and hopefully be a better leader than they were.”
That apprenticeship has ended. The summer’s practices reveal a player who not only produces on the stat sheet, but also commands respect in the locker room.
Teammates, many of whom are still learning the nuances of Beard’s demanding system, gravitate toward Dia for guidance, whether it’s learning a new defensive rotation or simply how to navigate life in Oxford.
“Every guy on the team has to be a leader in his own way,” Beard recently told local media. “First thing we try to explain to the players is there’s no leader if you don’t have relationships. The best teams I’ve coached, the players policed themselves. Malik’s working on being that guy.”
The spotlight on Dia is no accident. The Rebels have undergone one of the SEC’s most significant roster facelifts, with Beard and his staff adding a mix of transfers and high school recruits after a 20-win season that fell short of NCAA Tournament expectations.
Among the newcomers are highly touted prospects like Niko Bundalo and experienced guards from the transfer portal, but Dia’s familiarity with Beard’s playbook and program culture makes him indispensable.
That continuity is rare these days in college basketball, where the transfer portal and NIL deals have accelerated player movement.
“The challenge,” Beard said, “is blending all these new personalities and talents into a team that can compete in the SEC. Malik gives us a foundation because he knows what we’re about. He’s seen what works and what doesn’t.”
Dia’s journey to this role is itself a lesson in adaptability. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, he was a four-star recruit and a first-team all-state selection at Ensworth High School.
After a freshman year at Vanderbilt and a transfer stint at Belmont, he landed at Ole Miss for the 2023-24 season, drawn by the chance to play in a system that values physicality and versatility.
“I’ve been the new guy a lot,” Dia said with a smile. “I know what it’s like to walk into a locker room and not know anyone. That’s helped me this year, being able to reach out to new teammates and make them feel welcome.”
His personal growth is mirrored in his play. Last season, Dia shot nearly 47 percent from the field and provided a steady interior presence for a team that often struggled with consistency.
He’s not the flashiest player on the roster, but his combination of size, skill, and work ethic has made him a favorite of Beard and the Rebels faithful alike.
Off the court, Dia is equally intentional. He’s made a point of organizing group outings and one-on-one conversations with newcomers, hoping to foster the kind of chemistry that will pay dividends in February and March.
“Last year, I was still finding my place,” Dia said on team podcast appearance. ”This year, it’s about making sure everyone else finds theirs.”
If Ole Miss is to make a leap in the ultra-competitive SEC, it will need more than just Dia’s production. It will require buy-in from a roster that spans freshmen, transfers, and international recruits.
Early indications are that Dia’s example is resonating.
“He’s showing the younger guys the right way to do things,” said Eduardo Klafke, one of the team’s few other returners. “He’s vocal, he’s supportive, and he’s not afraid to hold people accountable.”
That sense of accountability is something Beard has preached since his days at Texas Tech and Texas. It’s no small part of why the Rebels hired him amid controversy two years ago.
“You win with players, but you build with culture,” Beard said. “Malik is helping us do both.”
Dia’s not the loudest voice in the gym, or the one with the gaudiest stats.
As Ole Miss eyes stability in a year defined by change, Dia’s presence may be the difference between another season of transition and one of triumph.
“I just want to be someone my teammates can count on,” Dia said. “If I can do that, everything else will take care of itself.”
For Ole Miss, that’s a foundation worth building on.
