Two Bulldog basketball legends will soon see their jerseys hanging from the Humphrey Coliseum rafters. The Mississippi State athletic department announced that Jeff Malone (No. 24, 1979-1983) and Erick Dampier (No. 25, 1993-1996) will be honored next season, with their names and numbers being hung amongst fellow MSU greats in the Hump.
Two legendary figures who will be looked up to forever.
— Mississippi State Men's Basketball (@HailStateMBK) January 18, 2026
Next season, Jeff Malone and Erick Dampier's jerseys will hang in the rafters of Humphrey Coliseum. pic.twitter.com/xsrdvuqryX
The duo will join Bailey Howell (No. 52, 1957-1959) and women's basketball's LaToya Thomas (No. 32, 1999-2003) as the only players whose numbers are honored inside Humphrey Coliseum, with former coach Babe McCarthy and longtime voice of MSU athletics Jack Cristil as the other legendary Bulldogs to be commemorated in the rafters.
Mississippi State to honor Jeff Malone's No. 24
Jeff Malone is one of the greatest scorers in Mississippi State history. In fact, he's historically atop that list with a program-record 2,142 points. A guard from Macon, GA, Malone lit up the scoreboard during his time in Starkville, leading the team in scoring for three-straight seasons. As a senior in 1982-1983, he set a program single-season record with 777 points, averaging 26.8 per game. Making this all the more impressive is the fact he did this without the three-point line.
Malone was a three-time All-SEC selection with multiple All-American honors during his career. He was selected 10th-overall in the 1983 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets. He was 1st Team All-Rookie in 1984 and an NBA All-Star in 1986 and 1987. In 13 NBA seasons, he totaled 17,231 points, with a career game average of 19.0.
Mississippi State to honor Erick Dampier's No. 25
Erick Dampier is one of the most dominant big-men to ever come through Starkville, and he was a part of the program's most legendary run. The New Hebron, MS native was a force in the Bulldog frontcourt in the mid-90s. He was a double-digit scorer all three seasons at State, averaging 14.5 points and 9.3 rebounds in his final season. His 2.68 career blocks per game is second in program history.
Dampier was instrumental in helping lead MSU to the Sweet 16 in 1995, and in 1996, his Bulldogs won the SEC Tournament and reached the program's first ever Final Four. He earned All-SEC honors all three years in Starkville and was twice an AP All-American Honorable Mention. Dampier was selected 10th-overall in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers. He'd spend the bulk of his 16-year career with the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks as the starting center for those franchises. He totaled 7,309 points, 7,005 rebounds, and 1,398 blocks in his career.