Jaylah Lampley's mindset, preparation has her ready for year one impact

After a storied high school career came to an end a season ago, Jaylah Lampley feels prepared for life in the SEC.

Mississippi State’s 6’1 freshman guard from Indiana played against some of the best players in the country the last couple of years either on the AAU circuit or with her Lawrence Central team. A state championship winner playing for a highly competitive coach who just happened to be her mother, Lampley has the right mindset for year one in the toughest league in college basketball.

“It most definitely prepared me. I feel like the EYBL, AAU wise, is the biggest reason why I’m able to carry over stuff now. Playing at a high level, being coached by my mom a Purdue alum and the experience is helping carry it over to the college level,” Lampley said.

“So far, it’s been a great transition. My seniors have been great leaders to all of us. We have a great coaching staff that supports us and I can’t wait to perform with our freshman class and show what we’re about.”

Lampley’s mother sets strong foundation in basketball career

Jalyah’s mother, Jannon, knows a thing or two about coaching, but she’s also experienced success at the highest level of collegiate sports. As a standout at Purdue in the mid 1990s, Jannon won three Big Ten Championships and had a Final Four appearance in 1994. She was an Honorable Mention All-American pick and the Big Ten Player of the Year in 1997 before becoming an assistant coach at her Alma Mater under Kristy Curry.

Jannon has balanced being a wife, mother and coach well and her kids respect her for it. After being under her roof and her leadership for her entire life, Jaylah is now navigating life without her mother leading the way, but it’s been a smooth transition thanks to Sam Purcell and the Bulldog coaching staff.

“It’s tough love,” Jaylah said. “I know it’s hard sometimes as a kid trying to separate being a player and a kid. Not being coached by her is a little different, but coming to the right coaching staff and team, they’re going to get you right. Honestly, I don’t really worry about that.”

Lampley enters with a freshman class that was ranked inside the top 10 by ESPN and it was just the second top 10 ranking in recruiting in program history. Along with Madison Francis and Nataliyah Gray, the trio of players were all inside the top 100 nationally with Lampley coming in at No. 37.

During her outstanding career at Lawrence Central, Lampley average 18.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 2.0 assists with a Class 4A State Championship her junior season with a Gatorade Player of the Year honor.  She was the school’s all-time leader in scoring, rebounding and steals, and had 21.2 points per game her senior year.

With a lot of new faces on the roster and turnover being high from last season, Purcell is leaning heavily on the three freshmen. His expectations for Lampley and Francis are especially high this season.

“My thing for them is yeah you’re a freshman, but as quick as we can take that label off, the better,” Purcell said. “Obviously, they need experience and that’s why we’re working two days a week open gym outside of our practice hours. They’re in there competing. And that’s what I challenge them with – what are your goals? You’ve got to have discipline. You’ve got to come in here and you’ve got to understand how to work and that’s been our focus with them of what do daily commitments look like? Just trying to make sure they’re staying the course and most importantly stay healthy and they’re doing a good job.”

Lampley has already taken a lot of that to heart as she prepares to face the toughest competition of her lifetime.

That’s why the young star has spent so much time in the gym and weight room bettering her game so she has a chance to make that instant impact. If she continues to improve, the sky is the limit.

“This applies to every level that nothing is easy or given to you. Just coming in with that mindset regardless of what the resume was before,” Lampley said. “Just want to come in and show why we had a (highly ranked) recruiting class and keeping that mindset. When you have great senior leadership and they’re reminding us what it takes to succeed, that goes a long way.”