Report: Chris Beard Expected to Remain With Ole Miss Basketball Amid Texas A&M Buzz

Ole Miss head basketball coach Chris Beard is expected to remain with the Rebels despite recent reports of Texas A&M pursuing his services, according to Rivals.

Beard, who's fresh off of leading Ole Miss to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, quickly became a "primary candidate" for the Aggies' head coaching vacancy following Buzz Williams' departure for Maryland.

TexAgs’ Billy Lucci provided his thoughts on Beard's connection to the job during a segment on Wednesday.

“A&M basketball doesn’t scare places typically,” Lucci said on TexAgs Live, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. “… That ties in with everything I’ve heard the last few days. When Jeff Goodman says, ‘Chris Beard will be a target.’ He is the target, in my opinion.

"Doesn’t mean you’re going to get him. I will say, I think for anyone wondering, I said this before, I said it yesterday and I will say it now, they are going all out.

“If you want to know what commitment to basketball looks like, they’re making a commitment in going after this hire the way they are. If he stays in Oxford, it will be costly for them. And it certainly won’t be for lack of trying.”

Now, after discussions with Ole Miss' administration, Beard is "staying at Ole Miss, amid a very big offer from Texas A&M in both salary and NIL. The Rebels are increasing his resources following the Sweet Sixteen season."

We're hearing that Chris Beard is staying at Ole Miss, amid a very big offer from Texas A&M in both salary and NIL. The Rebels are increasing his resources following the Sweet Sixteen season. @NealMcCready https://t.co/q3LDj9gqF5
— Chase Parham (@ChaseParham) April 2, 2025

In his second season at the helm of the Rebels, Beard has transformed Ole Miss into a competitive program in the Southeastern Conference.

The 2024-25 season became a rewarding one for Beard and Co. with the year feeling "different" for the Rebels' shot-caller.

"Every season ends for every team except for one, with the feelings we have right now. It's a little bit different for me this year. You dread that walk back to the locker room to talk to your guys, but this year just felt different," Beard said following the loss to Michigan State.

"I'm just so thankful. I've never been this kind of emotion when a season ends, but I'm just thankful for these guys. To be in the Sweet 16 our second year at Ole Miss, it's the players, especially these two guys to my left that endured the coaching change and stuck with us and decided to come back their last year and play for us.

"Just thankful, you know. From a coaching standpoint, you don't want to get beat your last game of the season, and I didn't think we did."

Now, Beard will look to continue rebuilding the Ole Miss program with the Rebels attacking the NCAA Transfer Portal.

The program has already hosted a handful of priority targets with Ole Miss set to up the ante on the NIL front in order to give Beard the necessary resources to assemble a National Championship caliber roster.

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