STARKVILLE – The transfer portal has been closed for a while but that won’t stop Mississippi State from strengthening its roster.
As many know, head coach Chris Jans likes to have a deep rotation of players on his roster and now, with the commitment of Georgia forward RJ Melendez, he has started making plays to fill his bench with quality and quantity.
Born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, Melendez began his college career in the Big 10 with Illinois. He spent his freshman and sophomore years as a consistent player on the team and moved to the SEC last year to play for Georgia.
During his junior campaign, he began to become a complete player, increasing his average by five points and providing consistent rebounds and free throws. He is also a long defender on the wing, which coincides with Jans’ defensive coaching mentality,
What’s more impressive is his free throw percentage. Over his career, he has been an 88 percent free throw shooter, which will provide some relief to the Bulldogs who have been one of the worst free throw shooting teams in the country over the past two years. That’s if he can stay consistent with his charity shot for the Maroon and White.
The Bulldogs are still looking for a shot-blocking big man in the portal. However, MSU is close to filling out its roster for next season, and on paper, there have been improvements across the board for the team.
