Ole Miss is about to take its men’s basketball program on the road for something a little different.
The Rebels will hold an open practice at the Air Force Base in Columbus on Monday night.
It’s a chance for fans with base access to see the Rebels up close, meet the players and coaches, and get an early look at a roster that has already drawn national attention for reasons that go beyond basketball.
Two Ole Miss players, Corey Stephenson and Micah Handlogten, are currently eligible to play because of ongoing lawsuits challenging the NCAA’s treatment of the Class of 2022. Both are protected by temporary court orders. Both have hearings coming up that could change their status. And both are expected to be major pieces of what Chris Beard is building.
It’s a complicated situation, but Beard isn’t shying away from it. In fact, he’s confident.
“Totally different pathway, totally different kind of process,” Beard said on Thursday. “With those guys, we’re controlling what we can control. I’m optimistic.”
The optimism comes from what Beard sees as a simple logic problem. The NCAA granted a fifth year to the 2021 class because of COVID. It has already approved a five‑year model for the 2023 class. The 2022 class sits in the middle, and Beard believes the reasoning should be consistent.
“In my personal opinion, just using common sense, the 2021 guys get a fifth year because of COVID. The NCAA comes out with a rule, and the timing of the rule is interesting, where the 2023 guys are going to get it. So why not let the 2022 guys get it who aren’t under pro contracts? Our two guys aren’t under pro contracts.”
That last part matters. Both Stephenson and Handlogten played in NBA summer league settings, which has raised questions about their amateur status. But Beard points to the rule itself.
“You can read the rule. The rule says pro contract. Neither one of these guys signed a pro contract.”
Summer league participation has always lived in a gray area, but Beard notes that precedent exists. Players in past years who participated in events like Portsmouth were sometimes penalized for a game, not stripped of full eligibility.
“I hope common sense prevails,” Beard said. “I hope at some point everything comes out clearly where we can all adjust.”
For now, both players are protected.
Stephenson’s temporary restraining order in the Glancey v. NCAA case runs through at least Oct. 20, when the preliminary‑injunction hearing continues in California.
Handlogten is covered by a temporary injunction in Wheeler v. NCAA in Texas. The nationwide Wisne injunction that initially protected him was stayed in August, making the Texas order the one that matters.
But the timeline is unpredictable.
“There’s no timeline,” Beard said. “That’s one of the challenging things. Not frustrating, challenging.”
He points to what’s happening in college football, where some 2022 players have been cleared one week, sidelined the next, then cleared again.
“There are a lot of unexpected things,” Beard said. “We’re hopeful that those two guys will be able to be part of our team this season.”
Hopeful and prepared. Beard has built this roster with depth in mind, and Stephenson and Handlogten were part of that plan from the moment they arrived.
“Just like every player on the team,” Beard said. “This team was put together where depth can be an asset. Basketball is a team sport. It’s not always about just getting the most talented players one through 15. It’s about putting a puzzle together.”
Stephenson and Handlogten fit that puzzle. They’re experienced, they’re versatile, and they chose Ole Miss because they wanted to be part of what Beard is building.
“Those two guys wanted to play for Ole Miss,” Beard said. “They wanted to help us do what we’re trying to do with this program.”
The court cases will continue. The hearings will come. The NCAA will have its say. But for now, Ole Miss has two players who are eligible, practicing, improving and preparing to play.
And Beard believes that when the season starts, they’ll still be on the floor.
