Ole Miss basketball enjoyed a memorable first season of the Kermit Davis era, going 20-13 and making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years. An integral part of that run were rising junior guard Devontae Shuler and rising senior guard Breein Tyree.
After the conclusion of the 2019 season, Shuler and Tyree both submitted their names into the NBA Draft pool in order to receive feedback and to see how they are viewed by NBA scouts and executives. And on Thursday, it was announced that they were removing their names from consideration in order to return to Oxford for one more go.
The deadline for underclassmen to withdraw from the draft was Wednesday.
This has become a popular thing for draft-eligible college players to do this day and age. In fact, Terence Davis did this very thing two years ago before ultimately electing to come back to Oxford for his senior season.
BREEIN. IS. BACK! 1st Team All-SEC guard @Breety5 will return for his senior season #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/b40GmJtMKl
— Ole Miss Basketball (@OleMissMBB) May 30, 2019
The back court duo paced the Rebels, averaging a combined 28.2 points per game for Kermit in year one. Shuler is more of an active rebounder (4.2 per game) than Tyree despite a nagging injury to his foot early in the season while Breein is active on the distribution end (2.78 per game) to run Davis’ offense. I fully expect for the two Rebels to continue to see their games improve under the guidance of Kermit and think 2019-2020 just breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Again, like I said above, most knew this was coming. They were simply wanting to receive constructive criticism and to see what NBA folks think they need to work on in order to be drafted in 2020 and/or play professionally overseas.
Officially returning for his junior season...
— Ole Miss Basketball (@OleMissMBB) May 30, 2019
WELCOME BACK @Devontae_Shuler! #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/7A0ZJrmPYy
Not only is this a huge boost for next season getting your two starters back, but they are two key cogs that will only get better in Kermit’s system. Also, Kermit and his staff won’t be forced to throw in inexperienced players and/or fresh members of the program into the starting lineup to replace them.
Rising sophomore Luis Rodriguez played a little last season but not sure if he is ready to take on the role of the one or the two yet. Not to mention that junior guard Brian Halums left the program earlier this spring, entering the transfer portal. And fellow rising sophomore, Franco Miller, has been steadily battling a knee injury and his status for 2019-2020 is still a bit up in the air.
Furthermore, there won’t be a need for 2019 signees Austin Crowley and Bryce Williams to be counted on to do a lot, that is unless they burst onto the scene and are gangbusters then I’m sure Kermit will certainly add them to the rotation.
Alas, the point remains, Shuler and Tyree coming back is huge news and we all should be pumped!