Chris Beard Shows Strong Confidence In AJ Storr

AJ Storr joined Ole Miss after entering the transfer portal from Kansas. Despite a less-than-stellar season with the Jayhawks, Chris Beard remains optimistic about Storr’s potential to make a significant impact in the forthcoming season, as noted by Grant Grubbs of On3 Sports.

“I just believe in AJ. I know his story a lot more than the next guy,” Beard stated. “I’ve spent considerable time getting to know him and his family, and I understand his journey. It’s easy to misinterpret things when you only look at the numbers.”

Although Ole Miss is bringing in seven new players from the transfer portal, Storr stands out as the most notable addition. He will be playing for his fourth different team in as many years, beginning his collegiate basketball journey at St. John’s, transferring to Wisconsin for his sophomore season, and then moving to Kansas for his junior year. Storr had a breakout season at Wisconsin but struggled to maintain that success at Kansas.

Storr participated in 34 games for the Jayhawks, including four starts, averaging just over 15 minutes per game. He recorded a career-low 6.1 points and 1.7 rebounds per game, with shooting percentages of 38.4 percent from the field, 29.1 percent from beyond the arc, and 68.1 percent from the free-throw line—all marking personal lows.

Nonetheless, he possesses the potential to be a key player for Ole Miss in the upcoming 2025-26 season.

“AJ is not a big talker. He lets his game speak for itself,” Beard remarked. “However, I am very confident that he will showcase his abilities this year to clear up any misunderstandings about him that exist, which I personally believe are completely inaccurate. He’s a really good player who has demonstrated his talent over the years.”