Mississippi State men's basketball head coach Chris Jans has had a busy offseason, whether it be making next year's schedule or recruiting for the NCAA transfer portal. The former junior college coach has become accustomed to overhauling his roster every year, and this past year was no different. State lost Kanye Clary, Michael Nwoko, MJ Russell, Jeremy Foumena, Adrian Myers, Riley Kugel, KeShawn Murphy, and EJ Paymon. However, the transfer portal gives as well as takes with: Jayden Epps (Georgetown), Quincy Ballard(Wichita State), Amier Ali (Arizona State), Ja'Borri McGhee (UAB), Achor Achor (Kansas State), and Slovenian prospect Sergej Macura are all set to join the roster next year, along with the 12th ranked high school class which is the highest ranked class has brought in during his tenure.
However, some of the most significant offseason additions are those who were already on your roster, and the Bulldogs had a pair of players who tested their NBA Draft stock before ultimately deciding to wear the maroon and white. Ballard, a Wichita State transfer, has not played an official game for Mississippi State just yet, but he is perhaps the most important addition to the class with Nwoko and Murphy now out the door.
The news of his return to college took some Bulldog fans by surprise because the 6-11 big man testing the NBA waters sort of slid under the radar, unlike his counterpart and new teammate. Still, Ballard will bring something that a Jans State team has not had yet, which is a true rim protector. It is no secret that Bulldog basketball is rooted in hard-nosed defense, and with his shot-blocking ability, defending will be that much easier and will ease some pressure off defending guards.
During the 2024-2025 season, Ballard, a Syracuse, New York native, averaged ten points (a career-high), 9.2 rebounds (a career-high), and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 75.1 percent from the field. He also played a career-high in minutes, playing 27.6 minutes per matchup. Ballard put up some impressive stat lines throughout the season, including scoring 19 points and grabbing 15 boards in the first round of the NIT against Oklahoma State. Also, against a ranked Memphis team, Ballard led his squad with 19 points while grabbing seven rebounds and swatting four shots.
Ballard has not touched the hardwood at the Humphrey Coliseum yet, but Josh Hubbard, who also declared for the NBA draft, has quickly established himself as one of the premier players in the Southeastern Conference. He has also steadily risen to the top of the all-time scoring list at State in just two short years. Unlike Ballard, whenever Hubbard decided to test his NBA stock, it was met with expected fan anxiety.
Hubbard followed up a sensational freshman with an even better and cleaner sophomore season, averaging 18.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists to only one turnover per game while shooting 40 percent from the field and 34 percent from behind the arc. The former MRA Patriot had sensational games this past, including scoring 26 against Baylor, 30 against LSU, and a career-high 38 in a heartbreaking home loss to Alabama.
Whenever Hubbard announced his plans, it was after several productive players, notably Murphy, had already left the roster. Bulldog fans had a bleak outlook at that point for next season, but with Hubbard back, optimism is high once again because Jans has built another quality roster around him.
Ballard will likely be the anchor for this Bulldog team and will undoubtedly bring a more physical presence in the paint, something State did not have much of last year outside of Cam Matthews, who did a little bit of everything. Hubbard coming back speaks for itself. He is one of the top players in the SEC and is undoubtedly the face of this program. It has been a roller coaster ride for Bulldog basketball this offseason to outgoing transfers, recruiting incoming transfers, and having players test the pros. Still, as the dust begins to settle, Mississippi State seems poised to have a great chance to make the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight time.