Patton Pinkins isn’t treating this summer like a continuation of last year. He’s treating it like a beginning. Because for him, it is.
Last season he was a true freshman who spent part of his high school career injured, then jumped straight into SEC basketball without ever experiencing what a real college offseason looks like.
That’s changed now.
“Just becoming a better player,” Pinkins said after Monday’s practice. “Last year, I was kind of labeled as a shooter. I want to become more of a playmaker, whether that’s coming off ball screens or playing in isolation.”
That’s the transformation he’s chasing, moving from a catch-and-shoot freshman to a guard who can create offense, absorb contact and handle more responsibility. And he’s honest about how much last year shaped that mindset.
“It was definitely a confidence thing. Like you said, I was out for a good amount of time because of my injury, but John Riley and John Raybon helped me a lot and got me back to where I was last year,” Pinkins said.
He didn’t get a normal ramp-up. He didn’t get the strength work or conditioning that freshmen usually get before their first season. He was recovering, adjusting, learning on the fly. Now he finally has the time to build his body the way SEC basketball demands.
“Having my first full offseason is big. I’ve already gone through the physicality of the SEC, and I know where I need to be this year,” Pinkins said. “I’ve been focused on constantly eating, working on my speed and getting my body ready for another season.”
And he knows exactly when the physicality hit him hardest.
“I think it was during the Tennessee game last year when it clicked for me that I definitely needed to put on some weight,” Pinkins said. “My focus has really been on getting stronger, becoming more physical and spending time in the weight room.”
That’s the before-and-after. Last year, he was a freshman trying to survive the league. This year, he’s trying to become someone who can dictate the game instead of reacting to it.
And Ole Miss needs that.
Pinkins’ ability to expand his game to be more than a shooter gives Ole Miss another option in ball screens, another creator, another guard who can handle the physicality Beard wants this team to embrace.
“This team plays really hard,” he said. “Every single day has been a battle. There have been hard fouls and guys diving for loose balls.”
That physical identity is exactly why his offseason matters. If Ole Miss wants to lean into toughness, Pinkins has to be one of the players who sets that tone. And he’s already working on the part that doesn’t come naturally: being vocal.
“I’m more of a quiet person, but they’re encouraging me to speak up more,” Pinkins said. “You have to become comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
That’s the story of his summer. Getting stronger. Getting louder. Getting more complete. Getting ready for a role that’s bigger than last year’s.
Pinkins is preparing to be a different player. One Ole Miss can trust with the ball, with the physicality of the league and with the responsibility of helping anchor a talented backcourt.
And he’s had the offseason to make it happen.
