The Ole Miss Rebels men’s basketball team is aiming to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, and if they can make the playoffs, it will be due in no small part to the performance of guard Matthew Murrell.

Murrell had a choice to make after last season: return to Oxford for a fifth year of college basketball or take his talents to the NBA. He went through the pre-draft process but ultimately decided to commit to one more season to get the Rebels back on track.

Head coach Chris Beard spoke to the media on Monday and explained how effective Murrell’s decision was in his second year leading the program.

“I think first of all, it changed things from a talent standpoint,” Beard said. “You have to have talent from the SEC, so you have to add another really good player, one of the best players in the SEC and college basketball in my opinion.

“Matt was really good. He went through the process this spring and it was a real process. I don’t think people really understand what the story is. Matt made a real decision. It wasn’t like Matt went through the NBA process and didn’t do well. It was the opposite. He did really well.”

According to Beard, Murrell has seemed to fully embrace being a leader on this new-look roster since returning to Oxford after testing the NBA waters. Ole Miss has multiple new signings set to take the court at SJB Pavilion this season, but Murrell is playing a key role in guiding the program toward success.

“I guess one of the definitions of being a professional is being able to live where your feet are,” Beard said. “He went back to Oxford, had a few days to rest his body, but even then he was verbal in practice. Just little things. He took the student managers out to dinner once. Another time he went and spent time with the freshmen.

“His drive and desire to be a leader was impressive. He’s been Kermit’s leader in the past, he was our leader last year, but this feels different.”

Murrell is averaging 11.9 points per game in his collegiate career. He currently ranks 16th in program history in scoring (1,444 points) and fifth in Rebels history in three-pointers made (218). There’s no question his talent could make a difference for Ole Miss in this critical 2024-25 season, but Beard seems to be just as impressed (if not more) with his leadership qualities.

An individual who demonstrates strong leadership for a talented team can be very important.

“He does some really calculated things every day from a leadership standpoint,” Beard said. “He looks great mentally right now. He’s a guy who’s very driven to help Ole Miss win.”