James Scott: "He a killa": Ole Miss' Malik Dia welcomes Louisville transfer James Scott to the Rebels squad

James Scott has decided on his new home. The sophomore forward, who served as a starter at Louisville last season, is taking his talents to Ole Miss. Transfer Portal, an Instagram page, announced the news on Wednesday.

Rebels star Malik Dia hyped up Scott in the comments.

"He a killa, y'all not ready!!!," Dia commented.

Malik Dia reacts to James Scott's transfer news (IG/Transfer Portal)

The junior forward also shared the post to his Instagram story with a message for Scott.

"@oojamesellis LET'S GO BRODIE!!!!!" Dia's Instagram story read.

Malik Dia expresses excitement about James Scott coming to Ole Miss (ig/Malik Dia)

Last season was Dia's first at Ole Miss after he spent a season at Vanderbilt and one at Belmont. The 6-foot-9 forward started in all 36 games for the Rebels, leading the team in rebounds with 5.7 rpg. He added 10.8 ppg and shot 46.7%.

Dia helped lead Ole Miss to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019 and first Sweet 16 since 2001. He saved his best basketball for the postseason, during which he put up 12.3 ppg and shot 51.7%.

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Ole Miss and Dia will have Scott's help next season as they look to build on this year's momentum.

What James Scott brings to Ole Miss

Scott is a resilient, sizable forward who is a sharp shooter and finds success grabbing boards. He began his college career at the College of Charleston before serving as a starter at Louisville last year.

As a sophomore, Scott led the Cardinals in blocks with 0.9 bpg. He added 7.1 ppg and 6.1 rpg while shooting 75.5% from the field. With his help, Louisville made it to the ACC Tournament title game and received a No. 8 seed in March Madness.

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Scott's commitment to the game is admirable. The forward's sophomore season almost came to an untimely end in February, when he was injured in a game against Miami.

"He had teeth knocked out and had some facial injuries," Louisville coach Pat Kelsey said.

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Scott knew he wanted to return, so the team found a solution with UofL's Speed School of Engineering. The engineers took a scan of Scott's head and made a mask to protect his injured face on the court.

The forward returned to the Cardinals with his new gear to further develop his skill set and aid the team through the end of the season. Scott's skill set makes him a star, but his determination is just as admirable.

About the author

Lindsey Ware is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over five years of experience working with publications such as The News & Observer, The Daily Tar Heel, Triangle Tribune and Cardiac Cane. She has also worked for Major League Baseball, The Holly Springs Salamanders, The Tri-City Chili Peppers, Tuffy Talk, Super Meteors Basketball, Just Good Network and Living Sport.

Lindsey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Journalism from UNC Chapel Hill. Her education allowed Lindsey to gain experience in sports communication, which she honed in internships. Other than being a storyteller and sports fanatic, Lindsey is also a social media and marketing specialist.

Her favorite college team is UNC, although she grew up a N.C. State fan as both of her parents are Wolfpack alumni. Michael Jordan was a huge deal in North Carolina when Lindsey was growing up, and after a summer spent at UNC’s Sports Journalism Camp back in high school, Lindsey was set on being a Tar Heel.

Lindsey's favorite college coach of all time is Roy Williams. During her time attending UNC Chapel Hill and writing for The Daily Tar Heel, Lindsey was lucky enough to meet and speak with Williams a few times. He was like a celebrity on UNC’s campus and was beloved for his coaching style and success with the Tar Heels, accumulating three NCAA championship titles in 18 years.

When not watching or writing about sports, Lindsey enjoys reading, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, and spending time with my friends, family and dog. She also likes to journal, watch movies and paint.

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Edited by Ribin Peter