The college basketball transfer portal opened on March 18, with over 300 players declaring their intentions to enter. Ole Miss Basketball has already approached several players.
Ole Miss Basketball head coach Chris Beard took some criticism for not accepting a National Invitation Tournament spot. Beard said, "The timing's just not right for us to continue the season in any of these tournaments."
One thing it does help is give Beard an early advantage in the transfer portal that opened on March 18, frustratingly for teams involved in post-season tournaments. Ole Miss has already had contact with several players in the transfer portal.
Tarris Reed Jr., Michigan, Centre
With the departure of former Michigan head coach Juwan Howard, a bunch of Wolverine players have entered the transfer portal. One of those was 6-foot-10, 265-pound center Tarris Reed Jr.
Ole Miss was one of several teams to make contact with Reed Jr., looking to set a date to host him down in Oxford, On3s Joe Tipton announced on 'X'. A 2022 recruit, Reed Jr. was the No.35 overall player and the seventh-best center in the country, per On3.
In his two seasons in Ann Arbor, Reed Jr. started 31 games out of the 32 he played. He leads the Wolverines team in rebounds, averaging 7.2 per game. Reed Jr. ranked third on the team in shooting efficiency at 51.9%.
Sam Alexis, Chattanooga, Centre
Chris Beard is looking to add talent at the center position, with Sam Alexis as another target from the transfer portal. Alexis, who played at Chattanooga in his two college seasons, is harbouring interest from some of the top basketball schools, including SEC teams Florida and Texas A&M.
Alexis scooped Southern Third Team All-Conference honours, leading the team in rebounds with 9.8 per game while averaging 10.8 points per game. Alexis recorded nine double-doubles during the season.
It would be a huge get for Coach Beard, with Alexis adding great physicality around the basket. It was an area the Ole Miss big men struggled in this past season.
Kylen Milton, Arkansas Pine-Bluff, Guard
Kylen Milton is looking for his third home in college basketball, with Ole Miss as one of the teams interested. After spending three seasons at Western Kentucky, Milton transferred to Arkansas Pine-Bluff for the 2023 season.
Milton featured in 29 games this season for the Golden Lions, averaging 17 points per game and 6.6 rebounds per game.
With the Rebels losing several guards from their roster, adding an experienced shooter like Milton would be a solid transfer portal move.
Frankie Fidler, Omaha, Forwad
Small forward Frankie Fidler is harbouring interest from several schools, including Ole Miss. Alabama, Nebraska and Indiana are all early contenders in the chase for his services.
Fidler topped the team in eight stat rankings, including points (469), total rebounds (185) and steals (39). He averaged 20.1 points per game and started every game for the Mavericks.
Fidler was named to the NABC All-District Team, only the third Omaha player to do so. Ole Miss will face a tough battle with other top teams to acquire Fidler for the next season.
Michael Ajayi, Pepperdine, Guard
One player that Chris Beard has targeted early is Michael Ajayi. The two have already talked to set a date for a future visit to Oxford.
Ajayi just played one season at Pepperdine as a junior. He averaged 17.2 points per game, 9.9 rebounds per game and 1.9 assists per game. He led the West Coast Conference in points and points per game.
Even though Ole Miss have a potential visit, they will be competing with some of the best teams in the nation for his commitment. It would be an impact signing if they manage to bet out the competition for Ajayi.