WATCH: Coach Jans Media Session
October 20, 2026 | Men's Basketball
STARKVILLE - Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans met with the media leading into Tuesday's practice.
2026-27 Mississippi State Men's Basketball Quotes
Coach Jans Media Session – October 20, 2026
Transcript Courtesy of State 1878
Q: Can you update us on Josh Hubbard's status?
CJ: "Unfortunately for Josh and for us, he's missed both of our opportunities thus far. He's got a head injury, but he's progressing back and practiced non-contact yesterday. At some point this week, he'll be back full-go and the expectation is that he will play on Friday."
Q: What were your takeaways from Sunday's exhibition game against NC State, and what do you feel the team needs to work on?
CJ: "When you're in this stage of the season, you can imagine it. You get that film and it's like you just can't wait. You get a feel for it as it's unfolding, but nothing like the film. You have 100 clips, you know? You're clipping the game and it ends up being almost every possession, either individually or for a team, film room, whichever one. So, it's just like you can't wait. For me, it's like opening a present and sometimes you like the present, sometimes you don't. We've had a couple opportunities to do that, and everybody approaches these differently."
"I think it depends on your personality. I think it depends on where you're at as a coach for that particular program. For me, it's about growth and learning, and kind of a test, if you will, that doesn't count, like a practice test when you were a kid, you were studying at home for a real test. The first thing that I said to the media locally was that I'm fine with the result, but had this been a regular season game and we lost, I would've been devastated because of how we lost. So wow, what a chance to really learn and grow in that environment."
"As you can imagine, every coach in America is talking about work in progress, we got some things to clean up. We're no different, but I like a lot of things that we did. We rebounded the basketball very, very well. We weren't as efficient with scoring after we rebounded, but we took care of the ball pretty well. We had I think nine or 11 turnovers, something like that, and one of them was a quirky inbounds play that apparently there was a new interpretation on when they start counting, which I wasn't aware of. One of them I gave them a bad blob play against the defense and that was on me, not them."
"So, that was a good thing. We didn't shoot the ball from three as well as we had been shooting it all summer and fall. One game, small data that way and obviously Josh being out hopefully has something to do with those numbers as well. But there was plenty of good, plenty of bad, and we've got work to do."
Q: Talk to us about Kimani Hamilton, and what he's brought to the team?
CJ: "With Kimani, it's been a unique experience. When I got here, he was [already] signed. So, I inherited Kimani, but one of the first things I did was go down to the Jackson area to see Kimani, his family, and Josh, which was for the next class. He decided to continue with his commitment to Mississippi State. Obviously, with his dad being Tang and the career that he had, it was a big reason why I'm sure he chose Mississippi State."
"I wasn't involved in the initial recruitment, and then, unfortunately, it didn't go how he wanted it to. He elected to transfer and went away and did some great things. We kept an eye on him. I was always curious how he was doing. I was rooting for him. I always root for our guys when they go on. They're a part of us. They work for us. They try to help us win. Then an opportunity came to come back, so it wasn't a long recruitment, you know? He wanted to come back, and we were in need of someone like him, so it was perfect timing for both of us."
"Certainly, we're in a situation where a lot of college basketball players are. There's still some unknown. His eligibility status could change quickly like a lot of players across the landscape. We're obviously keeping close tabs on it and we're preparing as if he's going to play, but if he doesn't, we'll have to pivot and that would be a really, really tough situation for a lot of men out there."
"But I've enjoyed being a part of this odd reunion. It's like I tell others and I've said this publicly already. It's like I'm coaching a different person. The maturation that he's gone under from when he was a freshman the first time to what he is now, it's like a different kid and all for the right reasons. Most people would say, well, of course he's mature. He's gotten older. It doesn't always work that way all the time. Some kids mature later than others, and some don't mature as much as you'd like them to, but he has and he's grateful to be back."
"He plays every day with joy, and he reminds me of how he's grateful to be back. I think it's a pretty cool story thus far. Who knows how it will end, but start here, end here, a kid from down the road and gets to the end where he really wanted to go to school in the first place. So, we'll see."
Q: How has this team's chemistry developed since you all got together starting in June and until now?
CJ: "I do believe that this particular group really likes each other. You can feel it amongst the banter. You can see it in the competition. That's always interesting. You know, it's a fine line. We want to compete with our hair on fire. We want to sharpen iron, and we want to work hard against one another, so there's growth for individuals and certainly for all of us."
"But it's a fine line, right? They're not the other team, but you want to get right up to that point where they kind of are and then come together on game day. Trying to get them to understand how that works and how it could benefit all of us individually and collectively is always touchy sometimes. With this group it's been really, really good, because they're smart kids. They all have huge dreams and goals. Obviously during the process of returning or adding new players, you get to know where they're at and what the goals are and how important this game is to them at this point in their life. For the majority of our guys, if not all, it's important. It's important and you can tell by their commitment, their focus, their ability to show up on time with the right mental approach."
"The returns have been so far so good, but at the same time, I say this all the time, like when you're on the road, especially in July or June when you ask other coaches. You're trying to have a conversation with someone. Maybe you don't even like the dude, but you got to have a conversation with them. How do you like the team? That's always a question everybody asks, and you never hear someone say we're going to stink. You just don't."
"Everybody likes their team. Everybody likes their team until you get hit in the mouth. Everybody likes their team until you have some adversity. That's about to happen and then we're going to find out how everybody likes your team, because adversity is usually waiting around the corner for all of us."
Q: How has Tee Bartlett developed during the offseason?
CJ: "Tee's been working hard on and off. He's had some great stretches and some not-so-great stretches to get where he needs to be able to get on the floor. He's a redshirt freshman, so he hasn't played a minute of college basketball. He's like a lot of our players regardless of their age, especially young players, he's a work in progress, and he's in a dog fight trying to earn minutes."
"Every single day, he's got a landscape to do it, to show us. He knows that and every one of our players knows that. We are very clear of the expectations that we have, and our standards that we have for how you get on the court and what's important. They all know that. Tee is no different. We're hopeful that at some point, I don't know when it's going to be, if it's early, if it's mid, if it's late, I don't know, that he can help us on game day."
Q: Talk to us about Tajuan Simpkins and his performance against NC State. Did it surprise you?
CJ: "It didn't surprise me. He's been around. He's played at this level, and that's one thing that you take away when you talk in the locker room after the game before you watch the film. The obvious is he just looks so comfortable out there. It's like an old hat for him, and I really liked that. He even looked like a different gear on game day than he had in practice. Trust me, I'm a practice guy, I love practice. I can't wait for practice today because I have more control in practice. I can control a lot of what's going on, and in games I have way, way less control."
"I want them to practice as hard as they can all the time, for the most part, unless there's a certain drill that's not required and they know that. But if I'm being honest, what I really want is how they're performing on game day, and when they can take it up a notch or two, they'll all be like, he's a game player. You should be an everyday guy, but I'd rather have them be different on game day if I had to be honest with myself."
"That's what stuck out to me, and he didn't play perfectly. He was 0-6 from three, and he's been really shooting the ball since he's arrived. It's probably been one of our biggest surprises how well he shot the ball at a consistent basis in the summer and in the fall. For him to do that, to me is kind of off for him."
Q: What is your approach with these scrimmages? Are you trying to shore up playing rotation, or are you using them as a tool to evaluate the team in game-like settings?
CJ: "Yeah, all of it. Getting to play a road game where we have to fly, that's going to prepare us for the opportunities that we have at the Greenbrier against Xavier or going to [UCF] Central Florida. Obviously, going to the Bahamas is a whole different animal because it's such a long stay and there's distractions, et cetera."
"But, just the one game, being able to do that, busing is different. Them understanding their routine, especially since there's so many new players for most teams across college basketball, I think that's invaluable for them to understand how we travel, what our routine is, going to the gyms, doing the film, the meals, how we function, shoot around on the road, our meetings, and it's just a dry rehearsal."
"I wanted to have one of these games like that, and fortunately we're able to do that. Now, we get a home game where it's the same thing. What do we do the day before practice? Some guys are surprised because of how we practice going into NC State. It was practice like every other practice, and I think people are like, well, I thought we were going to kind of go through the motions today because it's a game tomorrow. No, that's not what we do around here."
"So, it's all invaluable for every program. Some try to take full advantage of it, and some don't. Everybody has a different approach to it. For us, it's all of the above. The obvious is how they perform under the lights and being able to play [with] different guys. You're playing 10 guys all the time when you play five on five, and now you've only got to play five. That's a whole different field. It's a whole different look for the coach and it's a fun time of the year that way."
Q: You mentioned at SEC Media Days last week that Thomas Bassong has the potential to be the best defender you've ever coached. What have you seen in practice to make you say such a statement?
CJ: "I'm glad you said it with the words that you said. Someone hung me up the other day and said, 'Man, I can't wait to reach Thomas. He's the best defensive player you've ever coached.' I said, 'Hold up, that's not what I said. I said he has a chance to be one of the best defenders I've ever coached. Maybe the best defender I've ever coached. He's a sophomore. We haven't played a game yet, but he has the mental and physical makeup to be in that category, for sure."
"He loves to compete. He loves to defend. I'll never forget the first day he showed up, because he didn't arrive here right away. He didn't arrive here until July. The first time he was out there, I remember all the coaches looking around going, oh boy. He was picking the ball up full court and creating some havoc that we hadn't seen for a while, so that was exciting. Now, as he's been here for a while, had a lot of opportunities in practice, he's consistent that way."
"He's a guy that, like Cam [Cameron Matthews], is interchangeable. He can guard literally one through five. He's so switchable and that sounds good on paper, but the other guys he's playing with have to be that way in order to get it on the floor, because if the other guy's not, it's not good for their matchup. But, he can guard different shapes and sizes, and he's got a motor for it."
"Certainly, he's trying to be a complete player. Everyone wants to score, everybody wants to play with the ball in their hands and there's not a player or coach that doesn't look forward to that and want more opportunities that way, but he has a love to do that as well. The area that I'm most concerned about with him is just rebounding the ball, because when you look at him, if you've been up on him, he's just got girth, size, he's got big hands."
"He's got a motor and a desire to defend, and most good defenders are good rebounders more often than not. He's not been that way both in the opportunities we've had and in practice, if I'm being honest. It's a big focus for me and him in the next two weeks to get him to be a force on the glass as well."
Q: What are your thoughts of how your three freshmen, Willie Burnett III, Jalyn Collingwood and Tristian Reed, have handed the exhibition games?
CJ: "We're excited about all three of them. I feel like the games could make us feel different, because that's different. That is what is important is how they function in the games when they give the opportunities that they get. All three of them, we like where they're at. They're all different. They're all completely different. We talked about Tristan [Reed], he's a five walking in the door. The expectation for him is to be a contributor right away. He's got a maturity to him although he has played like a freshman thus far, unfortunately, but if he's going to play like a freshman, I'd rather have him play like it now and iron that out."
"Jalyn Collingwood unfortunately is still recovering from an injury that he sustained about six weeks ago. He was really doing well. He's got a high IQ, he's a ball-mover knows how to play. He's one of the better athletes that we have. He looked like he was ready to play at this level walking in the door. He had a great summer and fall, so it's going to stunt his growth. 30 practices is probably roughly what he's going to miss, and that's just a lot of missed opportunities for him, but he's getting back on the court. He's moving. He's non-contact. He'll be back mixing it up here really, really soon."
"Willie Burnett [III] has been a really nice surprise. Not a surprise for us. We obviously thought a lot of him to recruit them and sign him, but he wasn't as recruited at this level as maybe the other two were. He didn't have quite the numbers or the reputation that maybe Tristan or Jalyn did. We were really high on him, and he's a work in progress defensively. Not something that he probably focused on prior to coming here, but he can put the ball in the hole.
"That's what he does. He's a scorer and he's got size. He's long and rangy, and we're training him at the point. He's played mostly two, but we're training him at the point to try to expand his game." "We're excited about all three of them and time will tell. There's a world out there where all three of them are going to be able to play from the jump, but we'll see how that unfolds."
2026-27 Mississippi State Men's Basketball Quotes
Coach Jans Media Session – October 20, 2026
Transcript Courtesy of State 1878
Q: Can you update us on Josh Hubbard's status?
CJ: "Unfortunately for Josh and for us, he's missed both of our opportunities thus far. He's got a head injury, but he's progressing back and practiced non-contact yesterday. At some point this week, he'll be back full-go and the expectation is that he will play on Friday."
Q: What were your takeaways from Sunday's exhibition game against NC State, and what do you feel the team needs to work on?
CJ: "When you're in this stage of the season, you can imagine it. You get that film and it's like you just can't wait. You get a feel for it as it's unfolding, but nothing like the film. You have 100 clips, you know? You're clipping the game and it ends up being almost every possession, either individually or for a team, film room, whichever one. So, it's just like you can't wait. For me, it's like opening a present and sometimes you like the present, sometimes you don't. We've had a couple opportunities to do that, and everybody approaches these differently."
"I think it depends on your personality. I think it depends on where you're at as a coach for that particular program. For me, it's about growth and learning, and kind of a test, if you will, that doesn't count, like a practice test when you were a kid, you were studying at home for a real test. The first thing that I said to the media locally was that I'm fine with the result, but had this been a regular season game and we lost, I would've been devastated because of how we lost. So wow, what a chance to really learn and grow in that environment."
"As you can imagine, every coach in America is talking about work in progress, we got some things to clean up. We're no different, but I like a lot of things that we did. We rebounded the basketball very, very well. We weren't as efficient with scoring after we rebounded, but we took care of the ball pretty well. We had I think nine or 11 turnovers, something like that, and one of them was a quirky inbounds play that apparently there was a new interpretation on when they start counting, which I wasn't aware of. One of them I gave them a bad blob play against the defense and that was on me, not them."
"So, that was a good thing. We didn't shoot the ball from three as well as we had been shooting it all summer and fall. One game, small data that way and obviously Josh being out hopefully has something to do with those numbers as well. But there was plenty of good, plenty of bad, and we've got work to do."
Q: Talk to us about Kimani Hamilton, and what he's brought to the team?
CJ: "With Kimani, it's been a unique experience. When I got here, he was [already] signed. So, I inherited Kimani, but one of the first things I did was go down to the Jackson area to see Kimani, his family, and Josh, which was for the next class. He decided to continue with his commitment to Mississippi State. Obviously, with his dad being Tang and the career that he had, it was a big reason why I'm sure he chose Mississippi State."
"I wasn't involved in the initial recruitment, and then, unfortunately, it didn't go how he wanted it to. He elected to transfer and went away and did some great things. We kept an eye on him. I was always curious how he was doing. I was rooting for him. I always root for our guys when they go on. They're a part of us. They work for us. They try to help us win. Then an opportunity came to come back, so it wasn't a long recruitment, you know? He wanted to come back, and we were in need of someone like him, so it was perfect timing for both of us."
"Certainly, we're in a situation where a lot of college basketball players are. There's still some unknown. His eligibility status could change quickly like a lot of players across the landscape. We're obviously keeping close tabs on it and we're preparing as if he's going to play, but if he doesn't, we'll have to pivot and that would be a really, really tough situation for a lot of men out there."
"But I've enjoyed being a part of this odd reunion. It's like I tell others and I've said this publicly already. It's like I'm coaching a different person. The maturation that he's gone under from when he was a freshman the first time to what he is now, it's like a different kid and all for the right reasons. Most people would say, well, of course he's mature. He's gotten older. It doesn't always work that way all the time. Some kids mature later than others, and some don't mature as much as you'd like them to, but he has and he's grateful to be back."
"He plays every day with joy, and he reminds me of how he's grateful to be back. I think it's a pretty cool story thus far. Who knows how it will end, but start here, end here, a kid from down the road and gets to the end where he really wanted to go to school in the first place. So, we'll see."
Q: How has this team's chemistry developed since you all got together starting in June and until now?
CJ: "I do believe that this particular group really likes each other. You can feel it amongst the banter. You can see it in the competition. That's always interesting. You know, it's a fine line. We want to compete with our hair on fire. We want to sharpen iron, and we want to work hard against one another, so there's growth for individuals and certainly for all of us."
"But it's a fine line, right? They're not the other team, but you want to get right up to that point where they kind of are and then come together on game day. Trying to get them to understand how that works and how it could benefit all of us individually and collectively is always touchy sometimes. With this group it's been really, really good, because they're smart kids. They all have huge dreams and goals. Obviously during the process of returning or adding new players, you get to know where they're at and what the goals are and how important this game is to them at this point in their life. For the majority of our guys, if not all, it's important. It's important and you can tell by their commitment, their focus, their ability to show up on time with the right mental approach."
"The returns have been so far so good, but at the same time, I say this all the time, like when you're on the road, especially in July or June when you ask other coaches. You're trying to have a conversation with someone. Maybe you don't even like the dude, but you got to have a conversation with them. How do you like the team? That's always a question everybody asks, and you never hear someone say we're going to stink. You just don't."
"Everybody likes their team. Everybody likes their team until you get hit in the mouth. Everybody likes their team until you have some adversity. That's about to happen and then we're going to find out how everybody likes your team, because adversity is usually waiting around the corner for all of us."
Q: How has Tee Bartlett developed during the offseason?
CJ: "Tee's been working hard on and off. He's had some great stretches and some not-so-great stretches to get where he needs to be able to get on the floor. He's a redshirt freshman, so he hasn't played a minute of college basketball. He's like a lot of our players regardless of their age, especially young players, he's a work in progress, and he's in a dog fight trying to earn minutes."
"Every single day, he's got a landscape to do it, to show us. He knows that and every one of our players knows that. We are very clear of the expectations that we have, and our standards that we have for how you get on the court and what's important. They all know that. Tee is no different. We're hopeful that at some point, I don't know when it's going to be, if it's early, if it's mid, if it's late, I don't know, that he can help us on game day."
Q: Talk to us about Tajuan Simpkins and his performance against NC State. Did it surprise you?
CJ: "It didn't surprise me. He's been around. He's played at this level, and that's one thing that you take away when you talk in the locker room after the game before you watch the film. The obvious is he just looks so comfortable out there. It's like an old hat for him, and I really liked that. He even looked like a different gear on game day than he had in practice. Trust me, I'm a practice guy, I love practice. I can't wait for practice today because I have more control in practice. I can control a lot of what's going on, and in games I have way, way less control."
"I want them to practice as hard as they can all the time, for the most part, unless there's a certain drill that's not required and they know that. But if I'm being honest, what I really want is how they're performing on game day, and when they can take it up a notch or two, they'll all be like, he's a game player. You should be an everyday guy, but I'd rather have them be different on game day if I had to be honest with myself."
"That's what stuck out to me, and he didn't play perfectly. He was 0-6 from three, and he's been really shooting the ball since he's arrived. It's probably been one of our biggest surprises how well he shot the ball at a consistent basis in the summer and in the fall. For him to do that, to me is kind of off for him."
Q: What is your approach with these scrimmages? Are you trying to shore up playing rotation, or are you using them as a tool to evaluate the team in game-like settings?
CJ: "Yeah, all of it. Getting to play a road game where we have to fly, that's going to prepare us for the opportunities that we have at the Greenbrier against Xavier or going to [UCF] Central Florida. Obviously, going to the Bahamas is a whole different animal because it's such a long stay and there's distractions, et cetera."
"But, just the one game, being able to do that, busing is different. Them understanding their routine, especially since there's so many new players for most teams across college basketball, I think that's invaluable for them to understand how we travel, what our routine is, going to the gyms, doing the film, the meals, how we function, shoot around on the road, our meetings, and it's just a dry rehearsal."
"I wanted to have one of these games like that, and fortunately we're able to do that. Now, we get a home game where it's the same thing. What do we do the day before practice? Some guys are surprised because of how we practice going into NC State. It was practice like every other practice, and I think people are like, well, I thought we were going to kind of go through the motions today because it's a game tomorrow. No, that's not what we do around here."
"So, it's all invaluable for every program. Some try to take full advantage of it, and some don't. Everybody has a different approach to it. For us, it's all of the above. The obvious is how they perform under the lights and being able to play [with] different guys. You're playing 10 guys all the time when you play five on five, and now you've only got to play five. That's a whole different field. It's a whole different look for the coach and it's a fun time of the year that way."
Q: You mentioned at SEC Media Days last week that Thomas Bassong has the potential to be the best defender you've ever coached. What have you seen in practice to make you say such a statement?
CJ: "I'm glad you said it with the words that you said. Someone hung me up the other day and said, 'Man, I can't wait to reach Thomas. He's the best defensive player you've ever coached.' I said, 'Hold up, that's not what I said. I said he has a chance to be one of the best defenders I've ever coached. Maybe the best defender I've ever coached. He's a sophomore. We haven't played a game yet, but he has the mental and physical makeup to be in that category, for sure."
"He loves to compete. He loves to defend. I'll never forget the first day he showed up, because he didn't arrive here right away. He didn't arrive here until July. The first time he was out there, I remember all the coaches looking around going, oh boy. He was picking the ball up full court and creating some havoc that we hadn't seen for a while, so that was exciting. Now, as he's been here for a while, had a lot of opportunities in practice, he's consistent that way."
"He's a guy that, like Cam [Cameron Matthews], is interchangeable. He can guard literally one through five. He's so switchable and that sounds good on paper, but the other guys he's playing with have to be that way in order to get it on the floor, because if the other guy's not, it's not good for their matchup. But, he can guard different shapes and sizes, and he's got a motor for it."
"Certainly, he's trying to be a complete player. Everyone wants to score, everybody wants to play with the ball in their hands and there's not a player or coach that doesn't look forward to that and want more opportunities that way, but he has a love to do that as well. The area that I'm most concerned about with him is just rebounding the ball, because when you look at him, if you've been up on him, he's just got girth, size, he's got big hands."
"He's got a motor and a desire to defend, and most good defenders are good rebounders more often than not. He's not been that way both in the opportunities we've had and in practice, if I'm being honest. It's a big focus for me and him in the next two weeks to get him to be a force on the glass as well."
Q: What are your thoughts of how your three freshmen, Willie Burnett III, Jalyn Collingwood and Tristian Reed, have handed the exhibition games?
CJ: "We're excited about all three of them. I feel like the games could make us feel different, because that's different. That is what is important is how they function in the games when they give the opportunities that they get. All three of them, we like where they're at. They're all different. They're all completely different. We talked about Tristan [Reed], he's a five walking in the door. The expectation for him is to be a contributor right away. He's got a maturity to him although he has played like a freshman thus far, unfortunately, but if he's going to play like a freshman, I'd rather have him play like it now and iron that out."
"Jalyn Collingwood unfortunately is still recovering from an injury that he sustained about six weeks ago. He was really doing well. He's got a high IQ, he's a ball-mover knows how to play. He's one of the better athletes that we have. He looked like he was ready to play at this level walking in the door. He had a great summer and fall, so it's going to stunt his growth. 30 practices is probably roughly what he's going to miss, and that's just a lot of missed opportunities for him, but he's getting back on the court. He's moving. He's non-contact. He'll be back mixing it up here really, really soon."
"Willie Burnett [III] has been a really nice surprise. Not a surprise for us. We obviously thought a lot of him to recruit them and sign him, but he wasn't as recruited at this level as maybe the other two were. He didn't have quite the numbers or the reputation that maybe Tristan or Jalyn did. We were really high on him, and he's a work in progress defensively. Not something that he probably focused on prior to coming here, but he can put the ball in the hole.
"That's what he does. He's a scorer and he's got size. He's long and rangy, and we're training him at the point. He's played mostly two, but we're training him at the point to try to expand his game." "We're excited about all three of them and time will tell. There's a world out there where all three of them are going to be able to play from the jump, but we'll see how that unfolds."
Players Mentioned
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