If you thought Ole Miss was finished in the transfer portal, you might want to hold that thought for a minute. Chris Beard has already rebuilt the roster once over, but the Rebels are still hovering around three more names and all of them legitimate options
And the interesting part is that each player fills a different need.
Let’s start with Corey Stephenson, because his situation is the most unusual.
He just signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Pistons, which usually means a player is gearing up for a G League path. Instead, he’s now weighing a return to college basketball, and OMSpirit’s Zach Berry is reporting that Ole Miss is in the mix.
Stephenson is a 6-foot-6 wing who averaged 18 points and 6.4 rebounds at FIU last season while shooting 40 percent from three. He scored in double figures in all but one game. Ten games with 20 or more points. That’s not a flier. That’s production.
Ole Miss has added plenty of guards and wings already, but Stephenson would give Beard another scorer who doesn’t need the ball handed to him every possession. He’s played high-volume minutes and he’s shown he can carry an offense for stretches. If he wants one more year in college, Ole Miss is a real option.
Then there’s Duke Brennan, the Villanova big man reportedly looks like he’s down to Ole Miss and Oklahoma. Reports make it sound like Ole Miss has a slight edge, but portal decisions can flip fast.
Brennan averaged double-digit rebounds last season, becoming the first Villanova player to do that since the mid-80s. He put up 15 and eight in the NCAA Tournament loss to Utah State. He’s physical, he’s efficient, and he rebounds like it’s a job.
If Ole Miss lands him, that’s a major piece for a front court that already added Stefan Cicic and Santiago Trouet.
And finally, Micah Handlogten. The former Florida 7-footer is exploring another year of eligibility, and Ole Miss is one of three programs reportedly in the running. He’s not a polished scorer, but he rebounds, he blocks shots, and he’s played in big moments. His return from a broken leg was one of the better stories in the SEC the last couple years. If Beard wants even more size, Handlogten fits the bill.
The Rebels have already added seven players. They might add one more. They might add two. They might add all three. That’s the reality of a roster still being shaped, still being tweaked and still being pushed toward something resembling a NCAA Tournament-caliber roster.
Ole Miss isn’t scrambling. Ole Miss is shopping. And if these three names are any indication, the Rebels are aiming to finish this offseason with a roster that looks nothing like the one they started with.
