Well, the news everyone has been waiting for which is the decision Josh Hubbard was set to make. The sensational sophomore opted to test his NBA draft stock after a standout second season with the Bulldogs. However, he has decided to return to Mississippi State for his junior season, much to the satisfaction of Mississippi State fans everywhere and also Southeastern Conference basketball fans, because the 5-11 guard has put on shows for fans.
Hubbard is coming off a sophomore season that produced 18.9 points per game overall and 18.8 points in SEC regular-season contests. He also led the Bulldogs in three-pointers made with 108 and was a 34.5% marksman at the arc.
The real story of his second year in maroon and white was his role transformation. A pure shooter as a freshman, Hubbard became the point guard this past winter out of team necessity. He performed superbly under the forced circumstances, with 107 assists against just 43 turnovers.
Hubbard also greatly improved his defensive game and officially tallied 31 steals while making his presence known on the perimeter. Still, it was shooting the ball that made his All-SEC name and had him on the national radar as well. Besides following his freshman year work at the arc, Hubbard became a more aggressive scorer, attacking the lane and rim.
In the process he drew enough fouls to get to the line 148 times and convert on 130 chances. In fact, Hubbard is the most accurate free-throw shooter for a multi-year career in Mississippi State history at 86.6%.
He is coming off the 7th-best scoring season by a Bulldog of any class, broke his own season record for three-pointers made, and is sixth-best in career treys after just two years. Hubbard has 1,214 career points and is already top-thirty all time at State, and his 17.85 points per game is fifth-best for a career.
Bulldog head coach Chris Jans has been putting together another impressive NCAA transfer portal that includes: Ja'Borri McGhee (UAB), Quincy Ballard (Wichita State), Amier Ali (Arizona State), Achor Achor (Kansas State), and Jayden Epps (Georgetown). During his three-year tenure, Jans has breathed new life into Bulldog basketball, making the Big Dance each year. Also, Hubbard is no doubt the biggest star of the Jans era thus far. The transfer portal haul for State has been impressive, including Epps, who will likely be the backcourt mate with Hubbard.
The scoring prowess of Hubbard was clear when he was in high school at Madison-Ridgeland Academy, as he became the all-time leader scorer in Mississippi history and signed with State after originally declaring for Ole Miss. However, Hubbard is back and he will continue to put on offensive shows at Humphrey Coliseum and will pursue his third straight NCAA tournament berth and his first win.