Skip to main content
Mississippi State

2026 four-star guard Willie Burnett breaks down Mississippi State decision

Paul Jones Mississippi State Bulldogsby: Paul Jones21 hours agoPaulJonesOn3
willie burnett
Photo courtesy of Willie Burnett, Instagram

In basketball recruiting as in other sports, finding the right fit is often a key ingredient when those recruits make their decision. Such was the case with Gillion (Fla.) Academy’s Willie Burnett, who committed to Mississippi State on Wednesday afternoon.

Fresh off a Mississippi State official visit, the 2026 guard and Rivals composite four-star prospect often talked of fitting well with head coach Chris Jans and his program. Burnett is rated as the nation’s No. 26 shooting guard and the state’s No. 6 prospect by Rivals Composite rankings, which also have Burnett as the No, 93 overall prospect in the class.

“I love Coach Jans and I love their program,” the 6-foot-4 and 180-pound Burnett noted. “I can’t wait to get down there. I like the style they play with and my dad likes the sets they run on offense. We have watched a lot of their games and like what we see. It’s just a good fit for me and i fit their style.”

Burnett has been a top target for the Bulldogs since the staff began to observe Burnett’s junior season along with his recent showing on the summer circuit. Led by assistant Patrice Days, the staff also did a good job letting Burnett know what kind of priority he is to the program.

“It’s always been great with Mississippi State and I love them,” remarked Burnett last week. “They show me a lot of love, the most love of any school. I have good bonds with the coaches and they call me pretty much every day to see how I am doing. They are always checking up on me. What stands out to me is just the people there. I like the coaches a lot, too, and I just love it there.”

During last weekend’s stay in Starkville, Burnett also got a glimpse of his future teammates in practice. That opportunity gave Burnett a good idea of what to expect when he arrives next year.

“They are very active as a team and I like that,” Burnett noted. “They push the floor and they have a fast-paced offense this year. Then I thought Josh Hubbard was really good in practice.”

Burnett has also been a fan of the feedback he’s received from Jans and Days regarding his play on the court. And that also goes back to finding the right fit for his college career.

“Coach Jans and Coach Days were just telling me that I am a good player,” mentioned Burnett. “They were saying how I would be a good fit for their program and things like that. They like my scoring ability and how I handled myself on the court.”

Like other top targets, Burnett has taken notice of Jans’ success in Starkville since his arrival, which includes three straight NCAA appearances. And Jans’ desire to win also stood out to Burnett during his recruitment.

“I love Coach Jans and what is staff is about,” Burnett added. “What stands out the most is the way he loves to win. You don’t want to play for a coach that doesn’t love to win but he is crazy about winning. That stands out a lot.”

With his decision, Burnett becomes the second commitment in the class. He joins Rivals composite four-star power forward Ladarius Givan, who has been committed to State for nearly a year now.

You may also like