There was Ilias Kamardine one update every Ole Miss fan, and Chris Beard himself was desperately waiting on. Now they have it.
The Ole Miss guard announced his return for another year, giving Beard the much-needed safety net for next season.
Ilias Kamardine returning for another season at Ole Miss
" Ole Miss guard Ilias Kamardine has agreed to a deal to return to Ole Miss next season, source told On3," On3's Joe Tipton reported Wednesday.
The 6-foot-4 guard from Marseille, France, averaging 11.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game was the 3rd-leading scorer for Ole Miss in the last season.
The potential Kamardine brings to Beard's roster would have been tough to replace had he not been granted an additional season of eligibility in February.
"I haven't made a decision yet. I will talk with the coaches, and after that, we'll see," the guard had said earlier in March after their loss to Arkansas cut their postseason short.
Kamardine led the team in steals, recording 10 steals over the Tournament week alone. The feat also tied him for the seventh-most steals in a single SEC Tournament in history.
But the numbers don't tell his whole story. Beyond the raw production, he was the guy who slammed the door on opponents during the postseason and never flinched in the regular-season trenches.
He proved himself as the high-leverage playmaker who also doubles down as a reliable secondary whenever AJ Storr went down.
Ole Miss just lost two of its players to the transfer portal.
Kamardine's return is a massive offseason win for Beard, one that he won't be underselling when the next season hits.