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Seton Hall transfer guard Tajuan Simpkins commits to Mississippi State

Danby: Daniel Hager04/23/26DanielHagerOn3

Seton Hall transfer guard Tajuan Simpkins has committed to Mississippi State, he announced on social media. Mississippi State will mark his fourth program in five seasons.

Across five seasons, Simpkins has made stops at Northwest Florida State College (2022-24), Elon (2024-25), and Seton Hall (2025-26). He is coming off a season at Seton Hall, in which he averaged 9.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists.

Simpkins scored in double-figures in 16 games for Shaheen Holloway‘s Pirates last season. His best game came in an 86-68 win over Xavier on Jan. 28, in which he scored 27 points on 5-8 shooting from three-point range. He becomes Mississippi State‘s third addition out of the Portal, joining Kennesaw State guard RJ Johnson and Utah forward Kendyl Sanders.

Simpkins heads to a Mississippi State program led by head coach Chris Jans, who will be returning for his fifth season at the helm. Simpkins will form a strong guard duo with star guard Josh Hubbard, who announced that he’ll be back at Mississippi State next season.

Mississippi State missed NCAA Tournament for first time under Chris Jans this season

Across nearly four seasons in Starkville, Jans has led the Bulldogs to a 76-59 (29-43) record. Although they have made an appearance in three of the last three NCAA Tournaments, they have yet to win a game. Mississippi State lost to Pittsburgh in the First Four in 2023 and dropped Round of 64 matchups to Michigan State (2024) and Baylor (2025).

Jans received a contract extension with Mississippi State following its Tournament appearance last season. The head coach has received a one-year extension and a $100,000 raise for all three Tournament appearances, meaning his current contract runs through the 2029-30 season.

“We struggled out the gate,” Jans said about last season. “That’s been our secret sauce since we’ve been here, in my opinion, is we’ve had really good non-conference schedules and results going into the SEC that have put us in position to have the metrics and the record and everything that’s required to get in the NCAA tournament.

“Obviously we’re disappointed in the results. It’s not what anybody from the coaching staff, myself, the administration, the fan base, people that love Bulldog basketball, had in store. That’s where the season ended.”

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and X (formerly Twitter) account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.