State adds All-AAC guard Denim DeShields from UAB
A two-time All-Conference selection is making her next stop in Starkville for Mississippi State as UAB guard Denim DeShields has committed to the Bulldogs.
DeShields, a third-team All-ACC member in 2023-24, was the Blazers second-leading scorer this past season behind former Bulldog Mia Moore. She averaged 13.4 points as she started in 31 of 32 games and also racked up 170 assists for fourth all-time in the school’s record books. She also managed to pull down 3.6 rebounds a game and was second on the team in steals with 39.
As a sophomore, DeShields shot 43% from the field and she hit 78% of her free throws. DeShields had 17 double digit scoring games but the majority of those came later in the year as she got rolling. She finished the season with 13 double digit games over the final 16 games with five games of 20 or more points including a season-high 31 against SMU on January 14.
As a freshman, DeShields was named CUSA All-Freshman after starting 30 of 31 games with 19 games in double figures and five more 20 or more. She scored a career-high 36 points against Florida International.
The 5’5 guard from Atlanta comes from a talented family. Her mom, Tisha, was an All-American at Tennessee while her father, Delino, played 13 years in the MLB. Her brother, Delino Jr., was a top 10 pick in the MLB Draft in 2010 while her sister Diamond was a standout basketball player at Tennessee and was a WNBA All-Star.
DeShields joins a roster that has now grown to nine active players with three more high school recruits set to enroll in June. All-SEC guard Jerkaila Jordan, junior wing Debreasha Powe and sophomore center Quanirah Montague are the only returning players with playing time from last season.
The Bulldogs have added Kenyan center Madina Okot and transfer portal players Eniya Russell, Chandler Prater and DeShields to this point with junior college All-American guard Destiney McPhaul also on the way.
State also hosted Georgia Southern guard Terren Ward over the weekend and sources say she’s getting close to a decision with State and Georgia the teams battling it out.
