Ole Miss keeps bringing transfer portal prospects to campus, but a week and a half into the window the Rebels still have just one signing to show for it.
With only three confirmed returners and the top players in the portal already starting to come off the board, the concern around Oxford is beginning to feel a little more warranted.
The latest name headed to town is Tylik Weeks, one of the most productive forwards in the Sun Belt last season. Weeks earned First-Team All-Sun Belt honors and made the league’s All-Tournament team after averaging 19.7 points and 5.4 rebounds on 46.4 percent shooting.
According to On3’s Jamie Shaw, the 6-foot-7, 235-pound forward will take his first visit of this portal cycle on Wednesday, and Ole Miss gets the first crack at him. If he leaves campus uncommitted, Memphis is likely next.
Weeks drew immediate interest the moment he entered the portal. Ole Miss, Oklahoma State, TCU, VCU, Baylor, UCLA, South Carolina, Xavier and UCF were among the first to reach out. He also held a Zoom meeting with Memphis during the opening week of the window.
Originally from Brooklyn, Weeks played his high school ball at Brooklyn Theater Arts before heading to Southwest Mississippi Community College, where he averaged 21.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists as a sophomore.
Ole Miss has also reportedly hosted Tarleton State point guard Dior Johnson this week. And according to OMSpirit’s Ben Garrett, Washington State transfer ND Okafor is on campus as well. That makes six known visitors so far: Johnson, Okafor, Jacob Walker (Sam Houston), T.O. Barrett (Missouri), Azavier Robinson (Butler) and Finley Bizjack (Butler).
The problem is that visits have not yet turned into commitments. The Rebels’ lone addition remains Pitt forward Roman Siulepa, who started all 33 games as a true freshman and averaged 10.0 points and 5.5 rebounds. He is a good piece, but he is also the only piece.
Meanwhile, the roster is thin. Guards Patton Pinkins, Ilias Kamardine and Zach Day are the only confirmed returners. Everyone else from last season’s 15-20 team has either exhausted eligibility or hit the portal.
Forwards Niko Bundalo and James Scott have not announced their plans publicly, but even if both return, the numbers are still tight.
Chris Beard and his staff are clearly active. They are hosting players, they are in the mix for high-major talent and they are trying to rebuild a roster that needs almost everything. But as the portal’s top names start committing elsewhere, the urgency grows.
Ole Miss needs more than visits. It needs signings, and it needs them soon.
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. (Baylor)
Incoming
- Maya Anderson, 6-1, G/F, So. (San Jose State)
- Jaida Civil, 6-0, G, Fr. (Tennessee)
- Talaysia Cooper, 6-0, G, Jr. (Tennessee)
- Knisha Godfrey, 5-9, G, Sr. (Florida)
- Emily Howard, 6-5, C, Jr. (Boise State)
- Rachael Okokoh, 6-4, C, Fr. (Penn State)
