Corey Stephenson wasn’t even on the Ole Miss basketball roster three months ago.
Now, with the Rebels preparing to open their season against Alcorn State on Nov. 2, he’s in position to be one of their most important players.
Not bad for someone who didn’t arrive in Oxford until August.
Stephenson joined Chris Beard’s program following the new five-for-five eligibility ruling and ensuing lawsuits, giving the former FIU standout another opportunity to play college basketball. And while there are still some questions surrounding his eligibility, there aren’t many questions about what he could bring to the court.
Just look at what he did last season.
Stephenson averaged 18 points and 6.4 rebounds per game at FIU, shooting better than 45% from the field and nearly 40% from 3-point range. His 559 points were the fifth-most in a single season in program history, earning him second-team All-Conference USA honors.
Those are the kind of numbers that get a coach’s attention, particularly one trying to put together a roster with enough scoring options to compete in the SEC.
But Beard seems just as impressed with Stephenson’s personality as he is with his basketball ability.
“I think first with Corey, man, he’s just a special human being,” Beard said Thursday. “You guys will get a chance to kind of get to know him. He’s a truth-teller. He’s just a good dude to be around. He immediately made our team better by just walking in the room.”
That’s quite an endorsement for someone who has only been around the program for a couple of months.
“He’s an everyday guy. He doesn’t have bad moods. He doesn’t even complain about a missed call,” Beard said. “He’s a physical guy. He’s aggressive. He’s an alpha. He thinks he’s the best player in the country, but he also has a humility about him where he knows he’s playing a team sport.”
That combination of confidence and willingness to fit into a team could be particularly important this season.
Stephenson was one of FIU’s primary offensive weapons last year. At Ole Miss, he’ll be surrounded by more scoring options, meaning he won’t necessarily need to carry the same offensive burden.
“He’s probably playing with more talent than he’s ever played with,” Beard said. “He’s played with really good players before, but the volume of the good players, I think it’s that fine line of him being aggressive but also understanding, man, I’ve got some pretty good talent out here with me.”
So far, Beard likes what he’s seen.
Stephenson finished with 12 points and four rebounds in Ole Miss’ 92-78 exhibition victory over UAB on Tuesday. He’s also listed among the projected starters in the team’s official game notes, a sign of how quickly he’s worked his way into the rotation despite his late arrival.
Of course, there’s still the eligibility question.
When asked Thursday whether he knows for certain that he’ll be able to play this season, Stephenson didn’t offer a definitive guarantee.
“As of right now, I’m good,” Stephenson said. “It’s not that difficult to deal with because I’ve got real good teammates. Everybody’s around me. Everybody’s supportive. And I try to, like I said, be an everyday guy and take it one day at a time. If I’m able to play, I’m able to play. If I don’t, I don’t. Still going to support.”
It’s a pretty relaxed outlook for someone whose immediate basketball future has been subject to uncertainty.
Beard believes Stephenson has the talent to eventually play professionally in the United States. For now, though, the focus is on what he can do for Ole Miss.
And assuming his eligibility holds up, Stephenson has a chance to turn a late-summer addition into one of the more important pieces of this year’s roster.
