Riley Kugel Flips His Commitment To Mississippi State

The Gator guard with great potential could bolster the offense the Bulldogs are looking for.

Mar 22, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard J'Vonne Hadley (1) shoots against / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The transferring Gator Guard first had his signs set for Kansas, but soon he changed his mind and is now headed to Mississippi State.

Back to where it all started @HailStateMBK pic.twitter.com/1u8eYoDTDc

— Riley “ Juice ” Kugel (@RileyKugel) May 16, 2024

It has been a busy portal season for the Bulldogs as they have retained some of their roster from last season. The All-SEC Freshman Josh Hubbard is returning for his sophomore year and so are many of the impact players that helped the team get into the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Kugel is another guard that head coach Chris Jans has added to the roster with the addition of four other transfers. The sophomore guard had a slump in his production compared to his freshman year. He still averaged the same number of points with nine, but his shooting percentage dropped because of the increased volume of shooting.

He is a big guard standing at 6 feet 5 inches but is a true point guard who works well out of a pick-and-roll. He is also an athletic guard with the ability to take contact and still finish around the rim. This could pair well with the shooters that the Bulldogs have started to acquire through the portal and recruiting.

His size also allows him to defend smaller guards at an effective rate. Under Jans, he has the potential to develop into a key piece for the Mississippi State Bulldogs Men's Basketball Team.