Ole Miss Lands Florida 7-Footer Micah Handlogten, But Eligibility Questions Remain

The Ole Miss Rebels are making a major addition to Chris Beard's roster for the 2026-27 college basketball season.

Ole Miss has landed a commitment from former Florida Gators center Micah Handlogten, who is now set to head to Oxford after three years in Gainesville where he won a national title under head coach Todd Golden. At 7-1, 260 pounds, he will be quite literally a massive addition for a Rebels team that's looking to make it back to the NCAA Tournament after a losing record last season.

However, just like hundreds of other players, Handlogten is currently facing questions about his eligibility for his next season.

Micah Handlogten Seeking Fifth Year of Eligibility

Handlogten is still seeking a fifth year of eligibility after one year at Marshall and three with Florida. He played for the Utah Jazz in the NBA Summer League last month but reportedly did not sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the team, per reports from DraftExpress.com.

Playing in the Summer League doesn't require a player to sign what the SEC deems a "professional contract."

This clears Handlogten of violating the second rule of the SEC's new pro-to-college policy, which states that "an SEC institution is not permitted to have an athlete on its roster who has ... signed a contract with an NFL (or other professional football league), NBA/G-League, or WNBA (or affiliate) team."

If Handlogten is officially granted a TRO that gives him another year of eligibilty, he would have a clear path to play for Ole Miss next season, but time will tell how it all plays out.

Micah Handlogten's College Career

Florida Gators center Micah Handlogten (3) looks to pass against the Colgate Raiders during the second half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As a backup center for one of the best frontcourts in college basketball the past two years, Handlogten's numbers at Florida don't exactly fly off the page, but that could all change at Ole Miss.

Across his four years of college basketball, Handlogten has appeared in 115 games (66 starts) while averaging 5.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per contest.

Handlogten has appeared in eight NCAA Tournament games, including in Florida's thrilling win over Houston to win the national title in San Antonio in 2025. In that game, he had two points, four rebounds, two assists and one block in nine minutes.

That kind of experience will be notable for an Ole Miss team that's looking to turn the corner in the fourth year under Beard.

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