National signing day update on Ole Miss, Mississippi State men's basketball teams

Ole Miss and Mississippi State are set to welcome new men's basketball players to their respective campuses in Oxford and Starkville. 

Wednesday marked the first day that high school commits in the class of 2021 could sign their National Letters of Intent. Ole Miss inked three Wednesday, while Mississippi State is expecting its lone commit to sign with the program later in the week. 

Here's a look at the four players. 

Daeshun Ruffin – Ole Miss 

The Callaway High School state champion is the No. 1 player in the state of Mississippi according to 247Sports, and he's ranked No. 35 on the the 247Sports composite rankings. 

Ruffin, a consensus four-star prospect, is subsequently ranked No. 21 by ESPN, which  would make the 5-foot-9, 175-pound guard the highest-ranked recruit Ole Miss has ever signed, according to the school. 

"Getting the very best player in the state of Mississippi is always a priority for us," Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis said. "Daeshun is a dynamic guard that scores at all three levels. He's a proven winner, leading Callaway to a state championship in 2020. Daeshun plays for one of the very best coaches in our state, David Sanders, and comes from a fantastic family."

A Clarion Ledger Dandy Dozen selection, Ruffin averaged 26.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game as a junior as he was named the Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year. He scored 33 points in the state championship game, which was the 11th time he eclipsed 30 points during the season. 

Grant Slatten – Ole Miss

Slatten averaged 26. points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game as a junior at White County High School in Tennessee. He is a three-star prospect according to 247Sports. 

"I've watched Grant grow up for a long time," Davis said. "He is a 6-foot-5 guard that is extremely athletic and is one of the best shooters in this '21 class. His dad, Bruce, has been considered one of the best high school coaches in Tennessee for many years. Grant will have a fantastic senior year."

James White – Ole Miss 

The Rebels are adding more size at the guard position with White. Like Slatten, White is a 6-foot-5 perimeter player who can score. He averaged 24.1 points per game as a junior at Heritage High School in Georgia. 

White is the No. 9-rated player in Georgia according to 247Sports and a three-star recuit. 

"James White has a great skill level as a long, athletic guard that is one of the very best scorers in the state of Georgia," Davis said. "He loves ball, enjoys being in the gym and is set for a fantastic senior year. James has an unbelievable support system around him."

KeShawn Murphy – Mississippi State

Mississippi State's youth on the current roster does not allow for coach Ben Howland to have a big signing class this year, but the Bulldogs are expected to bring in three-star forward KeShawn Murphy of Birmingham, Alabama. 

Murphy is the No. 3 player in the state according to 247Sports. The 6-foot-10, 222-pound Murphy is a four-star recruit ranked No. 88 in the 2021 ESPN 100, though he's considered as a three-star in the 247Sports composite ranking. When Murphy signs, Howland will have officially brought in ESPN 100 players in each of the last three signing classes. 

Murphy was a finalist for the Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 5A Player of the Year and a first-team All-State. He averaged 18.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and two blocks a game as a junior at Ramsay High School, according to AL.com. 

Contact Tyler Horka at thorka@gannett.com. Follow @tbhorka on Twitter. To read more of Tyler's work, subscribe to the Clarion Ledger today!