Bulldogs Looking For Big Boost From Johnson And Bassong
October 15, 2026 | Men's Basketball, Joel Coleman
Two of Chris Jans’ additions have the tools to provide a huge impact.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – At the SEC Tipoff '27 event on Wednesday, Mississippi State star guard Josh Hubbard was flanked by R.J. Johnson and Thomas Bassong.
You had the longtime face of the Bulldogs. Then, there were the two newcomers wearing Maroon and White in a national spotlight for the very first time.
Soon enough, if all goes according to plan, a lot more attention will be headed the way of Johnson and Bassong. Their inclusion at the conference's preseason festivities this week might be only the first sign a new day has dawned for the Dawgs as they seek to bounce back from last year's struggles and earn a fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in five seasons.
"For me, this is I think my 17th year as a head coach at different levels [and] seventh school," MSU head coach Chris Jans said. "Knock on wood, right now it's the best group of young men that I've ever had the privilege of coaching."
Johnson and Bassong are the tip of Jans' freshly-constructed spear. The value they both bring to Starkville could prove to be immense.
Johnson is at MSU following a three-year stint at Kennesaw State where he established himself as a productive guard capable of scoring and facilitating. The Huntsville, Alabama, native averaged 14.5 points and three assists per game on the way to earning first-team All-Conference USA honors last season. He was also named the conference tournament's most valuable player. He can do a little bit of everything, and Johnson seems more motivated than ever now that he's a Bulldog.
Jans said on Wednesday that Johnson has lost around 27 pounds since getting to Mississippi State. It's a change that has improved his quickness and mobility while preserving the sturdy 6-foot-4 frame that makes him an unusual presence at the point guard position.
Johnson's transformation should have implications beyond his individual production. It also gives Jans another option to organize State's offense and could allow Hubbard to focus on what he does best: score.
"Pairing [Johnson] with Josh out front gives us a different look," Jans said. "We're trying to get [Hubbard] off the ball a little more and take away some responsibilities he's had as a lead guard."
Meanwhile, Bassong offers State a different kind of boost that could be just as consequential.
At 6-foot-8, approximately 230 pounds and boasting a wingspan that stretches beyond seven feet, Bassong has the physical tools to make life difficult for opposing players. Jans said the Paris, France, native also knows how to use the weapons he possesses.
"He loves playing both ends of the floor," Jans said of Bassong. "He's old school that way.
"Who knows how it will end up, but he's got a chance to be certainly one of the best if not the best defender that I've ever coached."
That's considerable praise from a coach who has always made defensive toughness a priority. Jans was careful to acknowledge Bassong must prove himself in actual games, but his early impression underscores just how highly the MSU coaching staff regards the Florida State transfer's potential.
For Jans, the challenge is now translating the potential of Johnson and Bassong into production. Nothing is guaranteed in the grind that is the SEC slate, but opportunities are abundant.
For a State team preparing for another gauntlet of a season, Johnson's offensive help and Bassong's defensive versatility could be just the shot in the arm the Bulldogs need to thrive and ultimately dance again come March.
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