Last Thursday was the final day of Ole Miss basketball’s eight-week summer program. Head coach Chris Beard said ‘the summer was a success.’
Last Thursday was the final day of Ole Miss basketball’s eight-week summer program.
Third-year head coach Chris Beard said ‘the summer was a success.’ Ole Miss brought back just two of its major contributors from last year’s Sweet 16 team.
The Rebels addressed the losses with a Top 20 transfer class, three Top 100 recruits and a former EuroBasket MVP.
“We had a really good practice [Wednesday],” Beard said. “Maybe our best practice of the summer competitive-wise and the guys wanting to be out there. We’ve got some awards we do throughout the summer. We had some of those come down to the final day. So, I don’t know if I’ve had a more enjoyable day, really, in my career in practice and told the guys afterwards. Got a long way to go still, but I think the summer was a success.”
Ole Miss handed out summer awards for, among others, leading rebounder, assists leader and team leader in wins throughout the summer.
Malik Dia is the most accomplished of the four returners.
The others are Eduardo Klafke, recently-scholarship guard Zach Day and walk-on Max Smith.
Dia started all 36 games in his debut as a Rebel last season, posting 10.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. He averaged 24.3 minutes in Ole Miss’ three NCAA Tournament games, including a high of 11 against Michigan State.
“This summer, really just took a big jump with trying to get in elite shape,” Dia said. “Playing at a high level each and every day, each practice, competing very hard. Working on my rebounding every single day, assist-to-turnover. I think it’s an overall game with me and just building consistency. Building each and every day [and] not having drop-off days. Trying to emphasize each and every practice, each and every scrimmage like it’s a game, and having guys to elevate me every single day. Practice is never easy. We’re always just building each other up and making each other better.”
A major point of emphasis for Dia, in particular, has been on becoming a better rebounder.
“Truth-telling program here,” Dia said. “The rebounding [last season] was definitely inconsistent. Some games you’d see me, some games you wouldn’t. That’s my biggest thing for this year.
“It’s all about effort. Coach really gets on to me about it ‘cause he knows this is the path to my future. You’d see in spurts of it last year a little bit where I’d go get a lot of rebounds in a game. The effort would be there. It’s just about sustaining that consistent effort, and then, honestly, it’s just a want-to thing. The summer started off really well and then in the middle kind of dropped. But me and coach had a conversation. We’re going to keep it going leading into the season.”
Storr started his career at St. John’s.
Last season at Kansas Storr averaged 6.1 points after putting up 16.8 as a sophomore at Wisconsin. The addition of Storr helps off-set the scoring lost following the departures of Sean Pedulla, Matthew Murrell, Dre Davis and others.
Beard said Ole Miss needs Dia and Storr, specifically, ‘to have the best season they’ve ever had in basketball’ for the Rebels to be successful in 2025-26.
The Rebels last season won 24 games. They open against Southeast Louisiana on November 3.
“It’s much easier to impact this team when I’m going to be one of the main guys, for sure,” Storr said. “It just gives me more confidence that the coaches believe in me, that my teammates believe in me. It makes it easier overall.
“We’re just getting to know each other much more. We had intrasquad games every Thursday for the last seven weeks. We’re on the floor with each other, and also getting to know each other as people off the court, our personalities. We just need to take that next step when we come back. Get ready for the season and continue to treat each day like it’s our last day.”
Category: General Sports
