Ole Miss got off to a slow start in the transfer portal, but the pace is starting to pick up.
Washington State forward ND Okafor has committed to Chris Beard’s program, giving Ole Miss its third transfer portal addition and another much‑needed frontcourt body.
Let’s work!!! Hotty Toddy!!!🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/NZckPasEjl
— ND OKAFOR (@Nd_Okafor23) April 18, 2026
Okafor joins Pitt forward Roman Siulepa and Seton Hall guard Adam Clark in what is starting to look like the early foundation of Beard’s 2026 portal class.
It’s progress, and it’s good to see Ole Miss stacking commitments instead of watching players walk out the door. But it’s also clear there’s still a long list of needs to fill before this roster looks complete.
At 6-foot-7, Okafor checks several boxes right away.
He averaged 11.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks this season and earned All-WCC honorable mention. His 46 blocks ranked second in the conference, and his block rate sat in the 90th percentile among centers late in the year.
He’s also a player with real developmental pedigree. Before signing with Cal, Okafor spent time at the NBA Academy in Mexico and starred for Ireland at the U16 European Championship, averaging 16 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks. Ole Miss beat out DePaul, Notre Dame, Georgetown and Saint Mary’s to get him.
And the Rebels needed him. Corey Chest, Tylis Jordan and Augusto Cassiá have all exited the program, leaving Beard with a thin frontcourt and a lot of minutes to replace.
Still, this is only the beginning. Three portal commits help, but Ole Miss has more holes to patch and more production to replace.
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
- Adam Clark, G, 5-10, Jr. (Seton Hall)
- ND Okafor, F, 6-7, Sr. (Washington State)
- Roman Siulepa, F, 6-6, Fr. (Pittsburgh)
Women
Outgoing
- J’Adore Young, 6-4, C, Soph.
- Tianna Thompson, 5-10, G, Soph. (Baylor)
Incoming
- Maya Anderson, 6-1, G/F, So. (San Jose State)
- Jaida Civil, 6-0, G, Fr. (Tennessee)
- 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)
- Jada Richard, 5-7, G, So. (LSU)
