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ATLANTA — The fiery on-court conversations between Ole Miss basketball coach Chris Beard and forward Malik Dia reveal just a sliver of their relationship.
It's easy to spot their heated discussions. Often this season, including in the three NCAA tournament games, Beard would call a timeout, make a beeline for Dia and vigorously coach him up on the court.
Dia said he has never been coached harder, but there's something more that the cameras don't catch.
"What Coach Beard has done, I really can't describe it," he said Friday night. "There's been so many ups and downs. The hard conversations. Even today right before the game, he said, 'Go out and have fun, man. You earned this. You worked hard for this.' "
Later, after No. 6 seed Ole Miss' 73-70 loss to No. 2 Michigan State in the Sweet 16, Dia found more descriptive words.
"Coach Beard changed my life," he said. "I mean that from deep down in my heart."
Dia, a junior, is the first to admit he struggled this season, especially early on. He transferred in from Belmont and didn't earn minutes right away, playing 20 minutes just three times in 13 nonconference games. But in the Rebels' three games in the NCAA tournament, he averaged 24.3 minutes.
"I'm hard on him, really hard," Beard said during the second round. "I think one day my plan is for him to really thank me for that. It's the biggest gift I think anybody can give a player is high expectations. And so with Malik, his expectations in my mind is I think he can play in the NBA one day."
Beard is insistent Dia has a chance to be Ole Miss' best player, even when Dia himself was feeling down and would've had trouble believing it. Whether Beard knows it or not, Dia said the confidence his coach gave him was life-changing.
"I had a horrible start to the year," he said. "For him to talk to me right before conference play started. Install that confidence in me. Telling me what I am, and what I can be. He saw that I love the game of basketball."
TEARS: Why Malik Dia cried after Ole Miss basketball's Sweet 16 loss to Michigan State
Dia was the lone non-senior to play significant minutes. He scored 11 points for the Rebels (24-12) against the Spartans (30-6). A mass exodus of veterans looms. If he doesn't declare for the NBA draft or hit the transfer portal, he figures to be a huge part of Ole Miss' plan for 2025-26.
"From the very first time I met Dia, I personally kind of had this vision of him," Beard said.
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at [email protected] or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Chris Beard changes Ole Miss basketball forward Malik Dia's life
Continue reading...
It's easy to spot their heated discussions. Often this season, including in the three NCAA tournament games, Beard would call a timeout, make a beeline for Dia and vigorously coach him up on the court.
Dia said he has never been coached harder, but there's something more that the cameras don't catch.
"What Coach Beard has done, I really can't describe it," he said Friday night. "There's been so many ups and downs. The hard conversations. Even today right before the game, he said, 'Go out and have fun, man. You earned this. You worked hard for this.' "
Later, after No. 6 seed Ole Miss' 73-70 loss to No. 2 Michigan State in the Sweet 16, Dia found more descriptive words.
"Coach Beard changed my life," he said. "I mean that from deep down in my heart."
Dia, a junior, is the first to admit he struggled this season, especially early on. He transferred in from Belmont and didn't earn minutes right away, playing 20 minutes just three times in 13 nonconference games. But in the Rebels' three games in the NCAA tournament, he averaged 24.3 minutes.
"I'm hard on him, really hard," Beard said during the second round. "I think one day my plan is for him to really thank me for that. It's the biggest gift I think anybody can give a player is high expectations. And so with Malik, his expectations in my mind is I think he can play in the NBA one day."
Beard is insistent Dia has a chance to be Ole Miss' best player, even when Dia himself was feeling down and would've had trouble believing it. Whether Beard knows it or not, Dia said the confidence his coach gave him was life-changing.
"I had a horrible start to the year," he said. "For him to talk to me right before conference play started. Install that confidence in me. Telling me what I am, and what I can be. He saw that I love the game of basketball."
TEARS: Why Malik Dia cried after Ole Miss basketball's Sweet 16 loss to Michigan State
Dia was the lone non-senior to play significant minutes. He scored 11 points for the Rebels (24-12) against the Spartans (30-6). A mass exodus of veterans looms. If he doesn't declare for the NBA draft or hit the transfer portal, he figures to be a huge part of Ole Miss' plan for 2025-26.
"From the very first time I met Dia, I personally kind of had this vision of him," Beard said.
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at [email protected] or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Chris Beard changes Ole Miss basketball forward Malik Dia's life
Continue reading...
