NCAA gives Ole Miss G Ilias Kamardine another year of eligibility, per report
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The Ole Miss Rebels reached the Sweet 16 of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. It was the second time the Rebels had reached that stage in the 21st century. They received votes in the preseason AP poll, and were expected to compete for the NCAA Tournament again this year. Unfortunately, Ole Miss has sputtered along to an 11-17 record (3-12 SEC).
While the Rebels’ year hasn’t gone as planned, their potential return to the Big Dance in 2027 received a boost on Friday. According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, the NCAA approved a waiver granting Ilias Kamardine an additional year of eligibility.
Kamardine, hailing from Marseille, France, has averaged 11.3 points and a team-high 3.9 assists per game this season. The 22-year-old guard has started all 28 of Ole Miss’s contests and leads the team in minutes per game (30.8).
Before coming to Ole Miss, Kamardine spent time in France’s professional ranks from 2019 through the 2024-25 season, when he played for JDA Dijon in LNB Pro A, France’s top flight.
Barring a surprise run to the SEC Tournament title in a couple of weeks, the Rebels are unlikely to appear in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
While they’re restricted to one path of entry, many SEC schools are still fighting to secure potential at-large bids. Georgia, Texas A&M, Texas, Mizzou, and Auburn will need every win they can gather down the stretch to avoid missing out, with all on the bubble, according to the latest Kalshi odds.
