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OXFORD — Ole Miss basketball coach Chris Beard is getting a chance to evaluate his team in workouts, but he knows it might not be the complete picture.
The core of the 2026-27 team is in place. The Rebels retained point guard Ilias Kamardine and guard Patton Pinkins.
Beard is high on point guard Budd Clark, a transfer from Seton Hall. Ole Miss brought in power forward Roman Siulepa (Pittsburg) and 6-foot-11 forward Santiago Trouet as part of a six-player transfer portal class.
There's still more room on the roster. Eight players transferred out of Ole Miss after a 15-20 season. Three other top contributors exhausted their eligibility.
Including three incoming freshmen, Ole Miss has 12 players on the roster. It can have up to 15, after the House vs. NCAA settlement. Beard did not specify how many players he would like to add but said it's possible.
"In terms of players maybe, potentially joining the team late, it's a challenge," Beard said on June 23. "It's the same challenge most people have in college basketball, too."
The transfer portal is closed, but Ole Miss can still add players who entered it and have not committed to a school. Ole Miss can also add player from overseas, or players who get a new transfer portal window after losing their coach (see Michigan).
Ole Miss added Kamardine from France in August of 2025. He became a key part of the backcourt rotation.
Beard said in an ideal world, he would have the entire roster already in Oxford, but he doesn't consider having a roster under capacity in June a major hindrance.
"I wouldn't say it's a disadvantage," Beard said. "If we were the only team in the country that was doing it, it would be a disadvantage, but that's not accurate."
The Rebels have not added any players since April 30 when Beard told the Clarion Ledger that Ole Miss is not done with the roster.
"We’re not skipping steps," Beard told the Clarion Ledger April 30. "I told our coaching staff this isn’t a race. This isn’t a deal of who can get it done fastest. It’s who can get it done best."
Beard said his coaching staff is being thoughtful about concepts that are introduced to the team in the summer, and what can be left for later when the team is more cohesive.
"I don't want to do something and then have to re-explain it or fix it later," Beard said. "We're kind of deliberate with what we do, if that makes sense."
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at [email protected] or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Chris Beard isn't concerned with room on Ole Miss basketball roster
Continue reading...
The core of the 2026-27 team is in place. The Rebels retained point guard Ilias Kamardine and guard Patton Pinkins.
Beard is high on point guard Budd Clark, a transfer from Seton Hall. Ole Miss brought in power forward Roman Siulepa (Pittsburg) and 6-foot-11 forward Santiago Trouet as part of a six-player transfer portal class.
There's still more room on the roster. Eight players transferred out of Ole Miss after a 15-20 season. Three other top contributors exhausted their eligibility.
Including three incoming freshmen, Ole Miss has 12 players on the roster. It can have up to 15, after the House vs. NCAA settlement. Beard did not specify how many players he would like to add but said it's possible.
"In terms of players maybe, potentially joining the team late, it's a challenge," Beard said on June 23. "It's the same challenge most people have in college basketball, too."
The transfer portal is closed, but Ole Miss can still add players who entered it and have not committed to a school. Ole Miss can also add player from overseas, or players who get a new transfer portal window after losing their coach (see Michigan).
Ole Miss added Kamardine from France in August of 2025. He became a key part of the backcourt rotation.
Beard said in an ideal world, he would have the entire roster already in Oxford, but he doesn't consider having a roster under capacity in June a major hindrance.
"I wouldn't say it's a disadvantage," Beard said. "If we were the only team in the country that was doing it, it would be a disadvantage, but that's not accurate."
The Rebels have not added any players since April 30 when Beard told the Clarion Ledger that Ole Miss is not done with the roster.
"We’re not skipping steps," Beard told the Clarion Ledger April 30. "I told our coaching staff this isn’t a race. This isn’t a deal of who can get it done fastest. It’s who can get it done best."
Beard said his coaching staff is being thoughtful about concepts that are introduced to the team in the summer, and what can be left for later when the team is more cohesive.
"I don't want to do something and then have to re-explain it or fix it later," Beard said. "We're kind of deliberate with what we do, if that makes sense."
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at [email protected] or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Chris Beard isn't concerned with room on Ole Miss basketball roster
Continue reading...
