Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Ole Miss Basketball Loses Final Piece of Kermit Davis-Era Roster

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Levi Dombro | Last updated Apr 16, 2025 4:29 PM ET

The Ole Miss basketball program has been active in the transfer portal this offseason. Just a month removed from a run to the Sweet 16, head coach Chris Beard must rebuild his roster in a hurry if he wants to be competing on the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament again next year.

When Beard took the job in Oxford just two short years ago, he underwent a similar roster reconstruction, keeping only five players from previous coach Kermit Davis' team. On Tuesday, 247 Sports announced that Robert Cowherd, the final player remaining from Davis' tenure, was entering the transfer portal.

While Cowherd was not a major contributor for the Rebels last season, his departure marks the end of an era for Ole Miss basketball. He was a three-star recruit out of high school in the class of 2022, but tore his meniscus during his freshman season and never found his way into a meaningful role.

Cowherd is the second Ole Miss player to enter their name in the transfer portal this offseason, joining former coveted recruit John Bol, who recently committed to UCF. Coach Beard is working hard to replace the players he lost this offseason, already adding star Kansas transfer AJ Storr, and solid pieces in former LSU forward Corey Chest and Louisville guard Koren Johnson.

Between this trio of transfers, the return of Malik Dia and Eduardo Klafke, and the addition of Tylis Jordan and Patton Pinkins from the high school ranks, the Rebels should be back playing important basketball again next March.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: