Ole Miss had a pretty good start to the week, and it had nothing to do with what is happening on the court in Oxford.
Instead, two former Rebels picked up NBA opportunities on consecutive days, giving the program a rare bit of momentum at the next level.
Malik Dia became the latest Rebel to land a two‑way contract, signing his deal with the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. It came one day after Sean Pedulla agreed to a two‑way contract with the Houston Rockets. For a program that has worked hard to show it can develop pros, stacking those announcements back‑to‑back is no small thing.
Dia went undrafted in June but spent the summer in the G League with New Orleans, averaging 10 points and 5.8 rebounds. That was enough to earn a spot. Dia celebrated the news on social media, writing “God is amazing. We are working!”
God is amazing!! We are working! #believeit https://t.co/O56THxEtpl
— malik dia (@malikkdia) August 18, 2026
Two‑way contracts have become a common entry point for young players. NBA teams can carry three of them, and those players can appear in up to 50 regular‑season games. They are not eligible for the postseason unless the team converts the deal to a standard contract. Dia will make half of the rookie minimum salary while splitting time between New Orleans and its G League affiliate.
Dia played two seasons in Oxford after stops at Belmont and Vanderbilt. He appeared in all 71 games during his Ole Miss career and averaged 13.8 points and 5.8 rebounds. His 36 games played last season tied the school record, and he helped lead the Rebels to the Sweet 16 for only the second time in program history.
Malik Dia 🙂↕️ pic.twitter.com/QEK94atzUV
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) August 18, 2026
Pedulla was right there with him during that run, and now both are starting their NBA journeys on two‑way deals. Pedulla signed with Houston on Monday after a strong G League season where he averaged 23.6 points, 6.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds and earned Rookie of the Year honors. He also appeared in seven games with the Clippers last season.
It is not often a program gets two players into the league in two days. Ole Miss did. Dia and Pedulla took different paths, but both found a way to make themselves valuable. For a program trying to build a reputation for player development, this week is a reminder that the pipeline is starting to form.
And for the Rebels, having another pair of familiar names on NBA rosters is always a good thing.
