A week ago, Ole Miss basketball was stuck in a helpless loop waiting for a commit. Now, with the transfer window set to shutter in 48 hours, they have three.
That's signature Chris Beard portal magic for you.
Is it enough? Of course not, but much better than how depressing it looked just a few days ago.
Agreed he has limited time, but based solely off his previous recruiting patterns, now would be the time the Rebels would be expecting a few more incoming transfer announcements.
And as for the ones he has already secured, the Ole Miss head basketball coach showed he is doing more than just stacking up talent this time. He's making calculated moves to fill out his roster deficiencies.
Chris Beard's trio of transfers
Seton Hall guard Adam Clark is the most surgical commit of the bunch. Beard’s "No-Middle" defense requires a point-of-attack dog who can disrupt the rhythm of elite SEC guards. Clark, with his turnovers and spark transition offense, is exactly that.
Washington State transfer ND Okafor is the functional mass the Rebels were missing. The 6'10", 250 lbs guard has the interior presence that the Rebels need. His scoring could use some help, but for now, he is the veteran presence Beard's squad needed with AJ Storr and Malik Dia gone.
As for the former Australian Rugby player Roman Suilepa, he brings the fresh physicality and versatility that could put Ole Miss back on the map. Starting every game for Pitt last season just makes him more of a reliable Day 1 starter for the Rebels.
The portal doesn't close until April 21, and as we saw last year with Kezza Giffa (who didn't sign until June), Beard often plays the long game. He is likely "big game hunting" for major starters who are still in the portal, with other schools winding up their NIL chests after overpaying in the initial days.
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