NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Mississippi of last decade
By Joey Loose
7. D. J. Stewart – Mississippi State
This 6’6 guard from Grace didn’t have to go far to continue his collegiate career. A four-star recruit, Stewart opted to play at Mississippi State under Ben Howland. He redshirted his freshman year due to a surplus of talent on the roster, but certainly got his time to shine when he saw the court from 2019 to 2021. By the end of his collegiate career, he had blossomed into quite the starring piece for the Bulldogs.
Stewart’s freshman year saw him work his way into the starting lineup, with an impressive 20-point performance in a win over a good Tennessee squad. During a breakout sophomore year, he averaged 16.0 points per game as one of the team’s most important pieces. He had numerous standout games even as the Bulldogs struggled down the stretch in a very tough SEC. Stewart then had three straight 20-point performances in the NIT as the Bulldogs eventually fell in the semifinals to Memphis.
For that breakout campaign, Stewart was named to the All-SEC Second Team, becoming one of the highest volume offensive players in the conference. He was near the tops in the conference in points, assists, and steals, and led the entire nation in minutes played for the season. Choosing to forgo his remaining eligibility, Stewart headed for the professional level, playing much of last season in the G-League after going undrafted.