It’s always a good idea to plan ahead in recruiting, and Mississippi State women’s basketball has certainly taken that approach by securing their first commitment for the 2026 class. the talented player hailing from Albertville, Alabama, has officially pledged to the program.
The 5’7″ guard plays at Albertville High School, where her mother is her coach, and she had a standout sophomore season. According to Max Preps, Smallwood averaged 19.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and an impressive 4.2 steals per game.
Smallwood visited Starkville last weekend after receiving an offer on August 24th. In addition to Mississippi State, she also had offers from UT Martin, Samford, Buffalo, UAB, North Alabama, South Alabama, Jacksonville State, and Western Carolina.
Bulldog head coach Sam Purcell has been active on the recruiting front this month. At the start of October, State had no commitments for its 2025 class, but within two weeks, they added Jaylah Lampley and Madison Francis, both four-star recruits according to 247 Sports, along with Nataliyah Gray, who is a four-star per ESPN.
Each of these players can play both forward and guard positions, which is crucial in today’s basketball landscape. Although Smallwood is from a lower class, she will still have the opportunity to play alongside these recruits, especially with the recent rise of the NCAA transfer portal.
Purcell had a busy offseason following a disappointing end to last season, as the Bulldogs missed out on the NCAA tournament despite initially appearing to be strong contenders. They did manage a solid run to the quarterfinals of the WBIT to conclude the year. With the current emphasis on recruiting through the transfer portal, every coach has had to work hard in the offseason, and Purcell was no exception, as he signed multiple transfers to revamp his roster for the upcoming season.
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