‘Meant for me’: Why Makhi Myles turned down in-state SEC for Wichita State basketball
Having a claim as the best high school player in the state of Mississippi, Makhi Myles knew the expectation would be for him to pick one of the two in-state SEC schools to play college basketball.
Those expectations were bucked on Monday when Myles verbally committed to Wichita State following an official visit, choosing head coach Isaac Brown and the Shockers over the advances of Mississippi State, located in his hometown of Starkville, and Ole Miss from the past year.
The 6-foot-6, 195-pound high school senior is rated a three-star prospect by Rivals and 247Sports and is the first commitment in WSU’s 2023 recruiting class.
“I’ve been in the South all of my life, so I feel like I need to expand my experience outside the state of Mississippi,” Myles told The Eagle. “I’ve still got love for Mississippi State and Ole Miss. They were the first schools to start my recruitment process. They were there since the beginning and I have a lot of respect for those programs.
“I just felt like Wichita State was meant for me.”
It was a recruiting coup for Brown — Myles also held scholarship offers from Creighton and Missouri — and a stunning one for the Shockers, which worked in stealth to recruit Myles and bring him to Wichita for an official visit this past weekend.
All parties did such a good job of keeping the activity off social media channels that Myles’ announcement on Monday came as a shock to those in Mississippi.
“Being from Starkville, a lot of people thought he would pick Mississippi State,” said TeLante’ Webber, a recruiting analyst based in Mississippi. “I was definitely surprised when I saw the commitment, but I think Wichita State is a great fit for him as a player to grow.”
Myles blossomed into a major Division I prospect in the past year, averaging 22 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks during his high school season to lead Starkville to the second round of the MHSAA Class 6A playoffs and earn all-state and Player of the Year honors in the process.
He then earned a reputation as a sharpshooter playing for Team Thad Nation in the Nike EYBL summer circuit, which is where WSU assistant coach Butch Pierre discovered him. The coaching staff was impressed by Myles’ accuracy, particularly in catch-and-shoot opportunities around the perimeter.
“The game is evolving around the three-point shot, so I felt like it was an important shot to have in my arsenal,” Myles said. “It’s important to be able to shoot the three at a high level, especially to get to the level I’m trying to get to.”
In high school, Myles is able to use his size, length and athleticism to overwhelm opponents on defense. He’s comfortably able to guard three different positions (shooting guard and either forward) and is training to improve his footwork with the ambition of being able to bottle up lightning-quick point guards as well.
In his current state, Myles is easy to project as a promising 3-and-D player at the American Athletic Conference level, but he aspires for more.
“I’m a 3-and-D right now, but I plan on expanding to become even more than that,” Myles said. “I’m working on creating my own shot, so I don’t have to sit on the three-point line and just catch and shoot. I want to be able to catch and take it to the rim, take it to the mid-range, and create for my teammates. I’m all about expanding.”
In order to reach his potential, Myles knows he must improve his ball handling to create off the dribble like he wants to. Webber, the scout, also agreed with that assessment of his game.
Myles, who weighed in at 195 pounds on his official visit, said he was inspired by his meeting with WSU first-year strength and conditioning coach Ryan Horn, who already had plans for how he could transform his body when he arrived on campus.
It was just one part of what was a perfect official visit, Myles said.
“I sat down with the coaches and everything just felt like it was meant to be,” Myles said. “I’ve been wearing black and yellow my whole life, so seeing those colors everywhere, seeing the energy and the culture of basketball they have, I loved the experience of all of that. I felt like I didn’t see a lot of that in Mississippi. Coming to Wichita and seeing how they operate, I really felt like it was meant for me.”
Another positive in the WSU coaching staff’s view was Myles’ winning pedigree playing for Starkville, one of Mississippi’s best high school programs.
“Wichita State is getting a great player, but an even better person,” Webber said. “Coming from Starkville, he’s a winner and a hard worker. I think the things he brings already will fit in perfect with the way Wichita State plays.”
After losing in the state championship game in 2021, Myles has only one goal in mind in his final high school season before joining the Shockers.
“Winning a state championship,” Myles said. “I want to set an example for the kids who are coming up and be a role model for them. I know there’s people that look up to me and I want to set a good example for them and try to open the door for them and help with their future. I want to win that state championship and be remembered for showing kids how to go out and be great, no matter what the situation is.”
This story was originally published August 30, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
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