Ole Miss Basketball Inks Highest Recruit in Program History
OXFORD, Miss. (Ole Miss Athletics) – Ole Miss men's basketball head coach Kermit Davis announced the addition of three talented prospects on National Signing Day. Daeshun Ruffin, Grant Slatten and James White all signed National Letters of Intent on the first day of the early signing period, planning to join the Rebels for the 2021-22 season.
"It's an outstanding day for Ole Miss Basketball with the signing of three very talented players," said Davis. "They are terrific offensive players with the ability to score the ball at all levels. All three young men come from unbelievable families and support systems, and we can't wait to get them to Oxford this summer! Our fan base will have a fun time following all of these guys during their senior years."
Davis and his coaching staff continue to bring in the highest-ranked recruits Ole Miss has ever seen, putting together another top-30 class. One year after Matthew Murrell became the highest ranked prospect in program history (No. 39 according to ESPN and 247Sports Composite Rankings), Davis and company signed Ruffin (No. 21 on ESPN's Top 100). Also rated as the best player out of Mississippi, Ruffin lands at No. 35 in the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
"Getting the very best player in the state of Mississippi is always a priority for us," said Davis. "Daeshun is a dynamic guard that scores at all three levels. He's a proven winner, leading Callaway to a state championship in 2020. Daeshun plays for one of the very best coaches in our state, David Sanders, and comes from a fantastic family."
As the best player in the state and ranked as a top-five guard in the country, Ruffin is a consensus 4-star prospect with an electrifying game. He is no stranger to playing in Oxford, scoring 33 points on The Pavilion hardwood during the 2020 Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) 5A state final. That outstanding performance allowed Callaway High School to capture the state championship, and Ruffin was tabbed a first team all-state honoree. Averaging 26.9 ppg and 4.9 rpg throughout the season, including scoring at least 30 points in 11 games, he was tabbed the Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year.
Ruffin was also named the Hardwood Hero Player of the Year. The Clarion Ledger chose him as the best player in the state while listing him as part of the newspaper's annual "Dandy Dozen." Leading Callaway to three district titles and a trio of state appearances, Ruffin has collected all-state accolades each year of high school. As a sophomore, he averaged 25.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 4.2 apg and 2.1 spg. Making an immediate impact his freshman year, Ruffin scored 19.8 ppg to go along with 4.0 apg and 3.7 rpg under the guidance of Ole Miss alum David Sanders.
Ranked the No. 7 player in the state of Tennessee, Slatten has already scored 1,808 points over his three years at White County High School. He has been named to the 3AAA All-Region and 6AAA All-District tournament teams every season, collecting each accolade three times apiece. The 3-star guard averaged 26.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 3.9 apg as a junior, leading his team to a district championship. The Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) selected Slatten to the all-state team, and he was the MVP of the Sonic Shootout.
"I've watched Grant grow up for a long time," said Davis. "He is a 6-foot-5 guard that is extremely athletic and is one of the best shooters in this '21 class. His dad, Bruce, has been considered one of the best high school coaches in Tennessee for many years. Grant will have a fantastic senior year."
Slatten recorded 20.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 3.0 apg as a sophomore as he continued to pile up accolades. HoopSeen tabbed him as the AAA Sophomore of the Year, while also naming him third team all-state. The Sparta, Tennessee, native also earned all-tournament honors at the Sonic Shootout and Daytona Sunshine Classic. As a freshman, Slatten averaged 16.0 ppg and 3.7 rpg. A multi-sport athlete, he also plays baseball and tennis.
Another 6-foot-5 guard just like Slatten, White is a preseason all-state guard entering his senior season after earning all-state honors last year. He is the No. 9 player in the state of Georgia, according to 247Sports, as a scoring machine, tallying 724 points (24.1 ppg) during his junior campaign to rank among the state's top five scorers. White scored at least 20 points in 24 of his 30 games, while breaking the 30-point mark six times. The Conyers, Georgia, native recorded a season-high 41 points against Alcovy. White led Heritage High School to the Sweet 16 in the postseason with a matchup against the eventual state champions.
"James White has a great skill level as a long, athletic guard that is one of the very best scorers in the state of Georgia," said Davis. "He loves ball, enjoys being in the gym and is set for a fantastic senior year. James has an unbelievable support system around him."
With his breakout junior season that led the region in scoring, White collected first team all-state and first team all-region accolades. White's hometown newspaper, The Rockdale Citizen, named him player of the year. While it was his scoring that stood out in his game, White crashed the glass at a rate of 8.0 rpg. The 3-star guard also dished out 3.0 apg and added 2.0 spg on the defensive end of the floor.
While this trio of new Rebels will have to wait a year to take the court wearing the red and blue, the current Ole Miss team is set to begin its season in exactly two weeks. Ole Miss will play three games in three days (Nov. 25-27), hosting Arkansas State, Central Arkansas and Jackson State for the Justin Reed Ole Miss Classic.
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