Ole Miss Nears Roster Finish While Hosting Top-20 Recruit

Chris Beard’s summer got a little more interesting this week.

After a strong showing at the NBPA Top‑100 Camp and an official visit to Providence, four‑star wing Gabe Nesmith is headed to Oxford for an official visit on Monday and Tuesday, according to On3’s Joe Tipton.

Vanderbilt gets him right after that, but the important part for Ole Miss is simple: one of the top scorers in the 2027 class is walking through the door.

Nesmith is ranked No. 17 nationally and has the kind of game that fits just about anywhere. He’s 6‑foot‑5, makes shots in every setting and was one of the standouts in Rock Hill, where Rivals’ Jamie Shaw praised his balance, touch and ability to score off the catch.

When a player like that starts taking visits, people pay attention. When he schedules one with Ole Miss, people really pay attention.

And it comes at a good time, because the Rebels are still building.

Ole Miss has added nine players through the transfer portal this offseason, kept Patton Pinkins and Ilias Kamardine, and reshaped the roster into something that looks a lot more like a Beard team.

Even so, there are still two open spots. Those spots are expected to go to a pair of experienced international players: Perth Wildcats guard Ben Henshall and former NBA Draft pick Mojave King.

Both would bring real value. Both would help round out the rotation. But their situations aren’t identical, and King’s eligibility is something worth watching.

The NCAA recently updated its guidance on international players who have competed professionally overseas. Anyone who received compensation beyond “actual and necessary expenses” could face additional review before being cleared. That doesn’t mean King won’t play. It just means the process might not be as simple as plugging him into the roster and moving on.

That’s part of why Ole Miss hasn’t finalized its last two staff hires yet. The roster isn’t fully set, and the staff puzzle tends to move with it. At least one hire is expected in the next couple of weeks, according to OMSpirit’s Ben Garrett, but the timing lines up with the final pieces of the roster falling into place.

For now, the Rebels are in the middle of their summer program, getting in workouts, installing early concepts and trying to blend a roster that’s almost entirely new.

Adding Nesmith would be a long‑term win. Adding Henshall and King would help immediately. And getting clarity on King’s eligibility would help everyone breathe a little easier.

It’s June, which means nothing is final and everything is still shifting. But Ole Miss getting a top‑20 recruit on campus and inching closer to completing the roster is a pretty good place to be.

2026 Rebels Football

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