Ole Miss finally has its first men’s basketball commitment out of the transfer portal, and it is a good one to start with.
Pittsburgh forward Roman Siulepa is reportedly heading to Oxford, giving Chris Beard a much needed building block for a roster that still has more open spots than names.
Siulepa is the kind of player who makes sense for Beard.
He is physical, he rebounds, he defends, and he comes from a background that fits the way Beard wants his teams to play.
Your newest Ole Miss Rebel, Roman Siulepa 🔥🔥
(🎥 @TraversHoops) pic.twitter.com/1BtqHvvhqp
— Everything Ole Miss (@EverythingRebs) April 10, 2026
Before basketball took over, Siulepa was a rugby standout in Australia, and you can see it in the way he attacks the glass and absorbs contact. For a defensive minded coach, that is going to be appealing.
The numbers back it up. As a true freshman at Pitt, the 6 foot 6, 210 pound forward averaged 10 points and 5.5 rebounds while starting all 33 games. He logged nearly 27 minutes a night and became the first Pitt player since Justin Champagnie to record three straight double doubles. He hit double figures 17 times and even dropped 28 points on Penn State in December, knocking down five threes in the process.
NEWS: Pitt transfer Roman Siulepa has committed to Ole Miss, agent Daniel Moldovan tells DraftExpress.
The Australian freshman averaged 10.1 points and 5.5 rebounds in 27 minutes in the ACC.
Ex-rugby player brings the type of toughness and physicality Chris Beard covets. pic.twitter.com/VQXYXwssiM
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 10, 2026
He also finished with 97 offensive rebounds, which ranked fifth in the ACC. That is not a small thing. Ole Miss struggled to create second chances last season, and Siulepa brings that skill immediately.
He shot 46.1 percent from the field, 29.6 percent from three and 50 percent at the line. There is room to grow, but the foundation is strong.
More importantly, he is someone who already knows how to handle a full college workload. Beard needs players he can trust to play real minutes right away, and Siulepa fits that description.
For now, he joins a short list of returners. Guards Ilias Kamardine and Patton Pinkins are back. Forward Zach Day is back. James Scott might return as well. That is not a lot, which is why landing the first portal piece matters. It gives Ole Miss something to build around as more visits and decisions come.
And more are coming. Missouri guard TO Barrett and Butler guard Azavier Stink Robinson were reportedly expected to be in Oxford on Friday. Beard’s roster is going to look very different in a few weeks, but Siulepa is the first step.
He brings toughness, rebounding, and a rugby edge that should fit right into what Beard wants this program to be. For a roster that needed a starting point, this is a solid one.
Ole Miss Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker
Men
Outgoing
- Augusto Cassiá, F, 6-8, Jr.
- Corey Chest, F, 6-8, So.
- Hobert Grayson IV, G, 6-4, Sr.
- Eduardo Klafke, G, 6-5, So. (Butler)
- Koren Johnson, G, 6-2, Jr.
- Tylis Jordan, F, 6-9, Fr.
- Travis Perry, G, 6-1, So.
Incoming
- Roman Siulepa, F, 6-6, Fr. (Pittsburgh)
Women
Outgoing
- J’Adore Young, 6-4, C, Soph.
- Tianna Thompson, 5-10, G, Soph.
Incoming
- Maya Anderson, 6-1, G/F, So. (San Jose State)
- Talaysia Cooper, 6-0, G, Jr. (Tennessee)
- Knisha Godfrey, 5-9, G, Sr. (Florida)
- Emily Howard, 6-5, C, Jr. (Boise State)
