Ole Miss has been busy evaluating options in the transfer portal, and two new names surfaced this week that are worth paying attention to.
With several departures and only one addition so far in Pitt forward Roman Siulepa, the Rebels are still looking for backcourt help and scoring punch.
According to OM Spirit’s Zach Berry, that search now includes Hofstra guard Cruz Davis and Loyola Marymount wing Jalen Shelley.
Davis is one of the more productive guards to hit the portal this spring. He averaged 20.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting 40 percent from three and leading Hofstra to the NCAA Tournament.
He also had five 30‑point games and 18 games with at least 20. His season included a 36‑point night against Pitt and 22 against Syracuse, the kind of outings that get high‑major staffs moving quickly.
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Which team had the BEST pickup today? 👇 pic.twitter.com/Q45DJL78Rl
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) April 14, 2026
Ole Miss, reportedly, reached out almost immediately after he entered the portal Monday.
The 6‑foot‑3 guard has taken a winding path, starting at Iona, then St. John’s, before finding his stride at Hofstra.
Now he is one of the most coveted scorers available, and Ole Miss sees him as a possible fit next to returners Patton Pinkins and Ilias Kamardine. That trio would give Chris Beard a very different offensive look than the one he finished the season with.
Shelley, meanwhile, is a 6‑foot‑7 small forward who averaged 13.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists at Loyola Marymount. He entered the portal last week and quickly heard from a long list of programs.
On Monday, he confirmed Ole Miss was among the most active. Virginia, Auburn, Mississippi State, Texas A&M and Creighton are also involved, and he has already visited Auburn with trips to Texas A&M and Mississippi State coming up.
Sophomore Jalen Shelley 6’8” Forward (LMU) Shelley has received interest from numerous power 5 programs, per his agent Demetrius Porter of Wasserman agency. Shelley has heard from Auburn, Creighton, Virginia, Mississippi, Ole Miss and Texas A&M pic.twitter.com/4RTIgBo3rg
— The Basketball Tribune (@Bballtribune_) April 14, 2026
For Ole Miss, the interest in both players is a reminder of how much work remains.
The Rebels have lost multiple rotation pieces to the portal and still need scoring, size on the wing and overall depth. Siulepa was a strong start, but the roster is far from complete.
Davis and Shelley won’t be the last names to pop up, but they are the latest signs that Ole Miss is working behind the scenes to rebuild a roster that needs help at several spots.
Ole Miss Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker
Men
Outgoing
- Augusto Cassiá, F, 6-8, Jr.
- Corey Chest, F, 6-8, So.
- Hobert Grayson IV, G, 6-4, Sr.
- Eduardo Klafke, G, 6-5, So. (Butler)
- Koren Johnson, G, 6-2, Jr.
- Tylis Jordan, F, 6-9, Fr.
- Travis Perry, G, 6-1, So.
Incoming
- Roman Siulepa, F, 6-6, Fr. (Pittsburgh)
Women
Outgoing
- J’Adore Young, 6-4, C, Soph.
- Tianna Thompson, 5-10, G, Soph.
Incoming
- Maya Anderson, 6-1, G/F, So. (San Jose State)
- Talaysia Cooper, 6-0, G, Jr. (Tennessee)
- Knisha Godfrey, 5-9, G, Sr. (Florida)
- Emily Howard, 6-5, C, Jr. (Boise State)
- Rachael Okokoh, 6-4, C, Fr. (Penn State)
