Who's In, Who's Out? A Look at all the Former Men's Hoops Players in the Portal
The Chris Jans era is underway at Mississippi State University, and boy, has it been an interesting start.
Jans took over the men's hoops program after Ben Howland and the university parted ways, and since then, the team has seen an abundance of players attempt to leave the program.
For starters, Iverson Molinar, the team's star point guard, has decided to test the NBA waters while maintaining his eligibility. There's still hope that Molinar will return for another season, but after earning All-SEC honors during the previous year's campaign, the chances of that happening look slim.
Garrison Brooks was the headliner of a highly touted transfer class in Howland's last season, but with no eligibility left, he will look to see what the next chapter of his life holds. Brooks is competing in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, a tournament reserved for graduating seniors, in order to showcase his skills in front of NBA scouts.
As for the rest of that transfer class, Shakeel Moore, DJ Jeffries and Rocket Watts have all announced that they are looking to play elsewhere come next season. Moore started almost every game for the Bulldogs last year and provided one of the few shooting threats the team had. As for Jeffries, he never truly lived up to the expectations that many had for him after his stellar performance for Memphis in their NIT Championship run during the 2020-2021 season.
Watts originally committed to and played for another MSU, the Michigan State Spartans. His tenure in Starkville was also lackluster as a whole, as he was often injured. There were flashes of his skill, but Watts simply couldn't put it together under Howland. This will be Watts' third school if he finds another destination, and the former 4-star prospect will undoubtedly be hoping it's his last.
Cam Carter is another former Bulldog that has announced he will be searching for opportunities elsewhere. Carter was a true freshman this past season, and played valuable minutes in several situations. His athleticism and defensive tenacity alone should make him the type of player most programs will want to pick up through the portal.
Joining him is freshman teammate Alden Applewhite. Applewhite didn't see the floor much this season, but showed an improved three-point stroke in practices.
Former JUCO transfer Justin Rumph has also decided to hit the portal, as he looks to find somewhere with a chance at more playing time for his final year of eligibility.
Most of these transfers have been perimeter players, but MSU has lost its share of big men as well. Derek Fountain has played his whole collegiate career in the Maroon and White, but the Holly Springs, Mississippi, native will be looking to find opportunities elsewhere.
While most of these players have yet to find a landing spot for next season, Javian Davis beat them to the punch. Davis, like Watts, will also be suiting up for his third school during his collegiate career. He came to MSU from Alabama and is returning to the Yellow Hammer State, but not for the Crimson Tide.
Davis has signed on with the University of Alabama-Birmingham Blazers. After former Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy took them to the NCAA Tournament this past season, Davis will undoubtedly be looking to bring his rebounding and low-post scoring to the table to help UAB get back to the Big Dance.
That leaves MSU with a grand total of nine total scholarship spots open on the roster. Two of those have already been dished out to incoming players like Dashawn Davis (Oregon State transfer) and Will McNair (New Mexico State transfer). Another two have been given out to incoming freshmen.
There's still a lot of work to do for Chris Jans to fill out his roster come the 2022 season, but there's also still time. Jans has his work cut out for him, but boasts a strong enough recruiting resume' to give fans plenty of hope. Only time will tell, but rest assured, it's going to be a fun offseason for Bulldog hoops.
