Follow the Visits: Ole Miss basketball is recruiting at a different level under Chris Beard

Ole Miss basketball is recruiting at a different level under first-year head coach Chris Beard and staff.

Next weekend’s POTENTIAL visit list is evidence enough.

The Rebels could host at least two Top 50 2024 prospects (centers John Bol and Jayden Quaintance) and a Top 10 recruit for 2025 (guard Trey McKenney).

McKenney’s visit is already locked in, as is Bol’s. Rebel basketball typically brings in its top targets for marquee Ole Miss football weekends. The Rebels, in a week’s time, will host LSU, in a potential showdown of ranked SEC West rivals.

Meanwhile, the question isn’t whether Quaintance will visit Ole Miss, but when. LSU weekend is the plan for now.

For. Now.

The 6-foot-10, 225-pound Quaintance — a center from Word of God Christian Academy in North Carolina — is ranked by On3 as the No. 6 prospect in the country. He visited Ohio State September 16 and will be at Missouri this weekend. He supposed to also check out Cincinnati (October 13) and Kentucky (October 20).

Quaintance would be the second-highest-ranked recruit in program history to visit Ole Miss if/when he makes it to campus. Kentucky (29.4 percent) is his On3 RPM (Recruiting Prediction Machine) leader. Wildcats head coach John Calipari this week went to see Quaintance in person.

“Jayden Quaintance is a strong and physical presence,” On3 national recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw wrote, in his spring scouting report of Quaintance, the nation’s No. 2 center.

“He plays with a ferocity around the basket — hunting dunks every time he gets within 5 to 10 feet of the rim. Can push the break and has excellent court vision. Good rebounder in and out of his area. Plays with a toughness. Can slide his feet on defense (and) open his hips as he changes directions. Has natural timing with good length around the basket.”

LISTEN: John Bol’s Ole Miss commitment, in football terms

Ole Miss commits John Bol and Jason Jackson (Photo credit: Marina Puhalj-On3)

The 7-foot-2, 190-pound Bol is one of three commitments for Ole Miss in the 2024 class.

Bol is the the highest-ranked commitment for the Rebels. Ever.

He announced for the Rebels over Georgia Tech, Michigan and others on July 31. He’s the nation’s No. 45 overall prospect, according to the On3 Industry Rating, which compiles the rankings of the four major recruiting services.

“I can defend anyone — one through five,” Bol told On3’s Joe Tipton. “Because I can easily move my feet. Seven-foot guys usually cannot move well or slide their feet.

“But when it comes to me, that’s easy. Before basketball, I started playing soccer when I was 6-years-old. So, when I switched to basketball, it was easy for me to guard people.

“I have a motor that I bring to the court every single day, and I talk a lot on the defensive end. I have a jump shot too, with a soft touch around the rim that I’m still working on right now.”

Trey McKenney (Zach Libby/The Wolverine)

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound McKenney is a consensus five-star prospect across the four major recruiting services.

He’s ranked by On3 the No. 7 overall player for his class, as well as the No. 4 shooting guard and No. 1 recruit in Michigan. The in-state Spartans lead On3 RPM predictions (19.5 percent).

“I’m tough,” McKenney previously told On3, when asked to best describe his game. “I can score on all three levels, and I bring the same toughness and intensity on the other end of the floor too. I watch a lot of Devin Booker and bigger guards like Joe Johnson.”

McKenney has already unofficially visited Michigan State, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois. The Ole Miss visit will be an official, followed by Missouri October 6, Rutgers October 13 and Georgetown December 2.

“I’ll be looking at the relationship the coaches build with, not only me but my family, too,” McKenney said. “I’m going to look at how I fit on the team, both on and off the floor, and I’ll see how big of a priority I am for the coaches and the program. I play my best in a freestyle offense where I can make quick decisions on and off the ball.”

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