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Mississippi State’s Roster Takes Another Hit on Portal Deadline Day

The Bulldogs lose 7-foot center Gai Chol to the transfer portal, leaving Mississippi State searching for size and experience in the frontcourt.
Taylor Hodges|
Southern Jaguars forward Delang Muon (35) handles the ball as Mississippi State Bulldogs center Gai Chol (34) defends during the first half at Humphrey Coliseum.
Southern Jaguars forward Delang Muon (35) handles the ball as Mississippi State Bulldogs center Gai Chol (34) defends during the first half at Humphrey Coliseum. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

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Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State’s roster took another hit on the final day of the transfer window, as 7-foot center Gai Chol officially entered the portal.

The junior big man announced his decision on Tuesday, ending a three-year run in Starkville that never quite got off the ground the way anyone hoped.

Chol has appeared in only 31 games since signing with Mississippi State in 2023, and he missed the entire 2025-26 season after suffering a summer knee injury that required surgery.

Even so, he was in line to have a real chance at playing time next season. The Bulldogs don’t return much experience, especially in the frontcourt, and 7-footers don’t grow on trees.

A healthy Chol would have been right in the mix.

Instead, he’ll look for a fresh start and use his final two years of eligibility elsewhere. At 7-0 and 245 pounds, he’s always been a long-term project with intriguing tools.

His early flashes showed why the staff took a chance on him. As a freshman, he averaged 2.1 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting 60 percent from the field and even posted an 11-point, six-rebound night against UT-Martin.

His sophomore year didn’t offer much more clarity. Chol played in 15 games and averaged 1.5 points and 0.8 rebounds, though he still shot 56 percent from the floor and showed a soft touch at the free throw line. The hope was that a full offseason and a clearer path to minutes would help him take the next step. The knee injury wiped that out.

Now Mississippi State has to keep rebuilding a roster that has been gutted by departures.

Chol becomes the latest to hit the portal, joining a long list of exits that includes true freshman Jamarion Davis-Fleming, who transferred to Alabama. The only returning Bulldogs with game experience are senior guard Josh Hubbard and sophomore guard King Grace. Redshirts Tee Bartlett and Cameren Paul are expected back, but they haven’t played yet.

Chris Jans has added Kennesaw State guard R.J. Johnson out of the portal and signed freshmen Tristan Reed, Jalyn Collingwood and Willie Burnett III. Even with those additions, Mississippi State still has at least five scholarships to work with as portal recruiting continues into the summer.

Chol’s departure doesn’t change the fact that he was a player Mississippi State hoped would eventually help stabilize the frontcourt.

Instead, the Bulldogs are left searching for size and experience in a market where both are hard to find.

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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