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Ole Miss Basketball: Breaking down Rebels’ 2017 recruiting class

By Taylor Sturm

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 14: Head coach Andy Kennedy of the Mississippi Rebels reacts during the quarterfinals of the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament against the Georgia Bulldogs at Georgia Dome on March 14, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 14: Head coach Andy Kennedy of the Mississippi Rebels reacts during the quarterfinals of the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament against the Georgia Bulldogs at Georgia Dome on March 14, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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JACKSONVILLE, FL – MARCH 19: Head coach Andy Kennedy of the Mississippi Rebels calls out in the first half against the Xavier Musketeers during the second round of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena on March 19, 2015 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL – MARCH 19: Head coach Andy Kennedy of the Mississippi Rebels calls out in the first half against the Xavier Musketeers during the second round of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena on March 19, 2015 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

JaMarko Pickett

A 6’7, 160-pound small forward from Woodstock, Virginia, JaMarko Pickett has the size and skill set to become one of the best players in the SEC.

He played his high school ball at the Massanutten Military Academy and was only offered officially by two schools, the Rhode Island Rams and Ole Miss. He declared for the Rebels extremely early last October; otherwise, he would probably have received a few more offers.

His weight is likely the reason that he was not ranked higher on most recruiting sites – he was listed between a three-star and four-star recruit on most sites – but a few years in an SEC weight room should change that. I’m excited to see what he is able to do as a freshman.

The Rebels have been on the verge of breaking into the NCAA Tournament discussion over the past few seasons but have yet to make that next jump. Continuing to bring in players like Pickett will up their chances greatly over the next few seasons.

Next: Breaking down Missouri's 2017 recruiting class

I would not be surprised if in two to three seasons Pickett finds himself thinking about leaving college early to head off to the NBA because he is a year or two of refinement from being a really, really good player with major NBA upside.

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