Jaylah Lampley was in the process of narrowing down her list of colleges late in the AAU season when Mississippi State coach Sam Purcell gave her a call.

Just give me a chance, the third-year coach told the nationally ranked Lawrence Central senior, promising her the trip to Mississippi State would be “the best experience.”

That September visit, Lampley said Sunday afternoon, “literally changed my mind.” 

The southern hospitality, the familial relationship quickly forged between her and the MSU coaches and players, the facilities. “It was like something you’d see in a Disney show or something,” Lampley said, citing also the academics (she’ll be able to begin working toward her nursing degree as a freshman).

“After the first night of the visit, I knew it was home,” Lampley continued. “I had to wait and visit the other schools to give them a chance, but (MSU) felt like home as soon as I stepped on campus.”

Recruiting rankings See where Indiana’s top girls basketball players land

The connection was immediate and Tuesday night, the four-star prospect (ESPN) made things official, announcing her commitment to Mississippi State.

A 6-1 guard, Lampley had previously narrowed her list to Cal, Georgia, Louisville, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Rutgers.

“(The recruiting process) has been a very long time and I’m glad it’s ending here,” said Lampley, whose recruitment began her seventh-grade year. “I’m just excited to enter a new chapter in my life and I’m thankful for every school that offered me, and even the schools that didn’t offer me — I’m thankful they even watched me play and were interested in me. I’m just thankful for the whole experience. … I feel like coach Sam is going to get me right and he’s going to help me get to the WNBA.”

Lampley had seemingly fallen off Mississippi State’s radar following the coaching change from Nikki McCray-Penson to Purcell, and had moved on to exploring official visits with other schools. But Purcell thought she was actually a 2026 prospect, Lampley said, and upon realizing his error, reached out to her parents then to her directly, re-offering her a scholarship and inviting her to Starkville to see the campus.

Ever since that call, Lampley’s seen him in the stands at basically all her games. 

“He was always nodding his head, giving me a thumbs up or a little wave,” she said. “I genuinely felt like he cared about me. … I gave him a chance and I feel like that was the best decision I could have made.”

The Bulldogs landed one of the nation’s best in Lampley.

Ranked 38th nationally by ESPN in the Class of 2025, she will go down among the greatest girls basketball players in Lawrence Central history after leading the Bears to their first state championship as a junior. Lampley is already the program’s all-time leading scorer, and enters her senior year with 1,276 points, 445 rebounds, 152 assists and 148 steals.

Lampley’s versatility is perhaps what makes her so dangerous. She’s a well-rounded offensive threat, capable of beating teams from basically anywhere on the floor (45% FG, 36% 3PT), including in the paint, where her size and physicality make her dangerous. Those assets serve her well on the defensive end, as well, where her speed and length make her an absolute menace within LC’s defense.

The Indiana Junior All-Star averaged 18 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals as a junior, and will enter the 2024-25 campaign among the early favorites in a loaded IndyStar Miss Basketball field. 

Of course, with Lampley’s commitment comes questions about what it might mean for her younger sister, junior Lola Lampley. Ranked 22nd nationally by ESPN, the 2026 guard is a two-time USA Basketball National Team pick (U16 and U17 teams) and holds a number of high-Division I offers.

Asked if she might be leading the charge on bringing Lola to Starkville, Jaylah said she plans on letting her find her own way. 

“I’m going to let her do her, because when it was my recruitment, I got to do what I wanted to do,” she said. “Regardless of whether we go to the same school or not, I’m still going to be proud of her and support her.”

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.