Augusto Cassia’s decision came down to a handshake, a conversation, and a vision.
When the Brazilian-born forward, a transfer from Butler, stepped onto the Ole Miss campus as one of the program’s first portal visitors this spring, he was searching for more than playing time or a fresh start.
He was looking for a coach in Chris Beard, a program with momentum, and a place where ambition didn’t just live in the locker room—it was the blueprint.
Cassia, a 6-foot-8, 220-pound junior who spent two seasons with the Butler Bulldogs, saw his sophomore campaign cut short by a knee injury last December.
“I was looking to go to a winning program,” Cassia said after a recent summer workout. “Mostly be able to help wherever I’m going into the Final Four and winning a national championship. That’s what I was looking for.”
That sense of possibility is what Beard has brought to Oxford since his arrival.
Ole Miss, under Beard’s direction, posted a 24-12 record last season and made its second-ever Sweet 16 appearance in 2025—a leap for a program that had not reached that stage since 2001.
Beard’s reputation as a program builder was not lost on Cassia during their first conversation.
“Everybody knows that Coach Beard is one of the best coaches in college basketball right now,” Cassia said. “A winning program (that) did good things last year, and we want to do better things this year. That’s the guy right there.”
Beard, for his part, was drawn to more than Cassia’s wingspan or his perimeter shooting.
“He’s another one of these guys basketball doesn’t define,” Beard said. “He’s had an amazing early part of his life. Being from Brazil, coming to the States, pursuing an education through basketball, he’s someone I have a lot of respect for.”
Their initial conversations, he added, “weren’t typical player-coach (or) portal recruiting. We obviously talked about basketball, but we talked about other things.”
Cassia’s journey began in Salvador, Brazil, and took him through the NBA Global Academy in Australia and Mexico.
That international path shaped his game and perspective. He joined Butler as an older freshman, bringing with him not just skill but a competitive mindset forged in a variety of basketball cultures.
Injuries limited Cassia’s impact at Butler. He averaged 5.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in 15 appearances, making eight starts before his knee sidelined him in December.
Ole Miss sees more than just potential.
Beard envisions Cassia as a “position-less player” who can stretch the floor and defend multiple spots.
“He brings a confidence about him,” Beard said. “We’re looking for guys that know how to win, we’re looking for guys that have been coached. Speaking to (Butler coach Thad Matta) about Gusto, he said some pretty strong statements.”.
The Rebels’ locker room will not be entirely unfamiliar for Cassia this fall.
Among the few returnees is Eduardo Klafke, a fellow Brazilian and NBA Academy alum. Their bond predates Ole Miss.
“As you guys know Eduardo is also Brazilian, I’m Brazilian,” Cassio said. “So it kind of connected each other and coach Beard got to know me a little bit. I’m here now and I’m happy to be here. We played together in the NBA Academy for a little bit. My uncle also played with (Klafke’s) father, so we do know each other a little bit further.”
If Cassia brings a global perspective, Klafke brings continuity and a growing sense of home for Brazilian talent in Oxford.
The Rebels are betting that such connections, on and off the court, will accelerate the chemistry needed for a roster that includes eight new transfers this season, hailing from major college programs across the country.
Cassia doesn’t shy from the leadership expectations that come with his age and experience.
“I have awesome teammates and I have a good coaching staff,” he said with a grin. “The weather is pretty much as it was in Brazil — hot and humid. It’s not that hard to get adapted for me. I’ve also been doing this for a while.”
Beard sees those qualities as the foundation for something bigger.
“(Cassia) has a chance to be one of the leaders of this team because of his composure,” he said. “Doesn’t seem to get too high or too low. He’s earning our trust and at the same time we’re trying to earn his trust as well.”
