On Aug. 25, the SEC made it clear that no former professionals were welcome in the conference. The Ole Miss Men’s Basketball team added one that day and another just three days later. Forward Micah Handlogten and guard Corey Stephenson both spent time in the NBA Summer League with the Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons, respectively. Now, it remains to be seen if they will be allowed to play for Ole Miss.
Former Florida International Panther and Detroit Piston Stephenson signed to Ole Miss on the same day as the SEC ordinance. Stephenson started all 31 of FIU’s games in the 2025-26 season, averaging 18 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
Stephenson is a pure, efficient scorer who would be primed to play a major role in the Rebel system, considering the production lost from the departures of forward Malik Dia (eligibility) and guard A.J. Storr (transfer to UNLV).
Handlogten comes to the Rebels with something arguably more valuable than trackable on-court statistics: championship pedigree. After suffering a gruesome leg injury in the 2024 SEC Championship, Handlogten recovered and was a member of Florida’s 2025 National Championship-winning squad, contributing as a backup center throughout the tournament run.
Head coach Chris Beard spoke of the impact these players have on the Ole Miss roster, and why it is beneficial for everyone that they are on the Rebels’ roster in a press conference on Sept. 10.
“I think they’re bringing great value to our team, and I think we’re bringing great value to them in terms of their futures. Obviously, those guys bring a lot of depth to this team that (we) didn’t have in the summer when they weren’t here,” Beard said. “Our roster was always a work in progress. Our additions that happened after the summer started weren’t late additions based on that he’s a good player. It was always our roster build to get up to 14 or 15.”
Since the Rebels lack true size in the frontcourt, Handlogten’s 7-foot-1-inch frame would finally give the Rebels a towering paint presence.
The question is not whether these players are talented enough to contribute to Ole Miss. Instead, it is whether they can actually play for Ole Miss. Players are still allowed to declare for the NBA Draft and return to college if they withdraw before the deadline, but the NBA experience of Handlogten and Stephenson places them in a different category.
Beard also discussed the eligibility issues and how the team has been dealing with the process of receiving information and learning how to move forward in this situation.
“I think frustrating is a fair word. It’s just kind of the time frame of when these things are going to be decided. We seek daily information through our compliance office, through our conference,” Beard said. “We’re just kind of controlling what we control. We’re no different than most other schools around the country.”
On one end, recent controversies in eligibility (LSU Football’s Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris) have overshadowed Ole Miss Basketball’s transfer escapades, sheltering the program from much negative coverage for these moves.
On the other hand, Ole Miss was part of the unanimous vote (LSU abstaining) to push forth the ruling that bars former professionals of any kind from participating in the SEC. In the Rebels’ defense, it is negligent to sit back and watch other teams continue to sign former professionals and not respond, though it raises the question of what matters more: winning more or winning correctly.
Going back on their word on the day of the ruling and doubling down again just three days later makes the Rebels look unethical in their approach to building this new roster. In attempting to blur the lines, Ole Miss is getting closer towards the wrong side of this increasingly confusing era of the transfer portal.
It has been just as tumultuous on the court as off for head coach Chris Beard and the Rebels, as they followed a 2025 NCAA Sweet 16 appearance with a four-win SEC slate this past season. Returning star Ilias Kamardine also had questions surrounding eligibility, though he was granted a waiver for an extra year of eligibility.
