JTC 26: A Buzzer-Beater Opportunity

Playing basketball at the recreation center is just a pastime for most college students, but for Austin, Texas-native Max Smith, it was the outlet that fulfilled a lifelong dream. 

The University of Mississippi sport management graduate student has always had a love for basketball. Coming out of high school, Smith had college offers to play basketball, but COVID limited his options, and none of the available programs felt right.  

After visiting Ole Miss, he transferred his sophomore year, as a student rather than an athlete. Although his plans to play college basketball did not work out initially, his passion for the game did not fade. 

“Even though I wasn’t recruited to play here, I still kept playing basketball because I just had a love for the game,” he said. “Even since high school, I have played pretty much every day.”  

That love for the game led him to playing any chance he could, either outside or at the South Campus Recreation Center. Whether playing pickup games or for his Sigma Chi fraternity intramural team, Smith was a regular presence at the rec center courts.  

It was at the rec center where Oxford High School basketball coach Drew Tyler first noticed Smith. 

“One day, I was playing a pickup game, and there was this average-looking kid making every basket,” Tyler said. “From the corner, from the tops of the key, from NBA three, from half court, he’s consistently making them.” 

As the night finished up, Tyler introduced himself. The basketball coach learned Smith’s story and found more than just raw talent. 

“Max leaves a positive wake with everyone he meets," Tyler said. "The way he makes people feel like they’re worth something let me know he’s gonna be a success in whatever he does in life.” 

After getting to know him, Tyler invited Smith to the Oxford High gym to get on the shooting machine.  

After seeing the student move and making shots consistently, Tyler informed an assistant basketball coach for the Rebels about the student’s talent. This recommendation left a strong enough impression that a coach called Smith directly, asking if he'd be willing to meet with head coach Chris Beard.  

Smith met with the head coach the next day and walked away with an opportunity to try out for the team. This tryout came in the form of a 3-on-3 scrimmage with a few Ole Miss players.  

“I ended up shooting well,” Smith said. “I remember getting a phone call that night from Coach Beard, asking me to meet at the facility. He ended up offering me a spot on the team.” 

Even though joining the roster felt like an obvious decision for him, it came with a quick pivot. All that unfolded within a week of his undergraduate graduation, and Smith had already been looking at apartments in New York City, where he had planned to pursue a master’s degree at NYU that fall. 

“When I got the call, it felt like a no-brainer because I wanted to play college basketball,” Smith said. “It was a huge change of plans, but it was a crazy story.” 

Within weeks, summer workouts replaced moving boxes, and Smith was adjusting to life as a collegiate athlete for the first time. 

“Once joining the team, there was a little bit of a learning curve,” he said. “It had been four years since I had played competitive basketball, so it took a couple of months until I was in a full rhythm of things.”  

Enrolling in the sport management graduate program felt like the right choice for Smith, merging his passion for the game with his connection to the university he’d chosen as home. 

“My academics have prepared me by teaching me how to think critically, solve problems and adapt to different situations,” Smith said. “This foundation will help me transition confidently into a professional career after graduation.” 

Just as he was settling in, however, he faced an unexpected challenge. Mere weeks before the start of the season, Smith tore his ACL during a practice in October.  

“I was frustrated; I thought, ‘I did all of that to get here, just for this to happen,’” Smith said. “But I knew I had to overcome that.” 

And he did. Smith used the same determination for rehabilitation that got him on the roster.  

That following season, on Nov. 3, 2025, Smith suited up for the first time when the Rebels hosted Southeastern Louisiana in the season opener. He didn’t just play, however. He scored, connecting on a pair of free throws in his first collegiate appearance.  

“The first time I put on that Ole Miss jersey, there were definitely nerves, but it was an exciting type of nervousness,” he said. “It had been a long journey to get to that point, but the moment I made my first bucket was a standout moment for me.” 

Beyond basketball, Smith found something he wasn’t expecting — life lessons from Coach Beard that left a lasting impact. 

Advice such as keeping eye contact when speaking to someone, having good posture and showing up five minutes early were lessons that stuck with him beyond the court. 

“Coach Beard talks about having a culture about how small things make a difference,” he said. “The personal development I experienced from joining the team was on a whole other level.  

"I walked away, learning about hard work, something that helps me on a daily basis.” 

Smith’s advice to anyone is to take advantage of every opportunity.  

“You may not know what your next opportunity is going to be, but it could be anything, right?” Smith said. “I didn’t know how far my love of basketball would take me, but as soon as I got the opportunity, I knew I had to take it. 

“I mean, I have a weird, crazy journey, all from playing basketball at the rec center.” 

Top: Max Smith went from pickup games at the South Campus Recreation Center to suiting up for the Ole Miss men’s basketball team, all in less than a week. The sports management graduate student says that the journey taught him that any opportunity can be the dream you’ve been waiting for. Photo by Hunt Mercier/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services

See more photos from Max Smith's Journey to Commencement