Ole Miss Announces New Men’s Basketball Radio Crew

OXFORD, Miss. – (Release) The Ole Miss Radio Network is excited to unveil a new broadcast team for men’s basketball with play-by-play announcer Gary Darby and color analyst Murphy Holloway, who will begin covering the team in the upcoming 2025-26 season.

They replace the crew of David Kellum, who decided to step away from men’s basketball while remaining on the call for football and baseball at Ole Miss, and Marc Dukes, who retired at the conclusion of last season.

Both Darby and Holloway are familiar names for Rebel Nation. Darby has held various roles for the Ole Miss Radio Network in his 35-year career and most recently served as the studio host for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies radio network, while Holloway was an All-SEC forward for the Rebels for four seasons.

“We greatly appreciate David Kellum and Marc Dukes for their loyalty and contributions to Ole Miss Basketball over many years,” said head coach Chris Beard. “We look forward to working with Gary Darby and Murphy Holloway this season.”

Beginning his career in 1990 with the Ole Miss women’s basketball program, Darby brings a wealth of radio and broadcasting experience to the headset. A frequent fill-in for Ole Miss over the years, he was on the call full time for Ole Miss women’s hoops from 1994 to 2001. From 2003 to 2005, he served as analyst for the men’s radio broadcast.

Darby has also spent time with the Ole Miss baseball program, as a member of the radio team from 1997-2002 and once more from 2008-2011. He’s spent time in various roles with the football radio team at Ole Miss over the years as well.

Most recently, Darby was the studio host for the Memphis Grizzlies radio network beginning in 2011.

“I’m really honored to get the opportunity and I appreciate all of those that are involved, especially David Kellum who gave me my first opportunity in the business,” said Darby. “It’s an exciting time for basketball at Ole Miss, and I really look forward to being a part of it and working with Murphy Holloway. I’m ready and really excited to get going.”

The program’s all-time leading rebounder, Holloway will join the broadcast as an analyst alongside Darby. The Irmo, S.C. native came to Oxford in 2008, where he played two seasons before transferring home to South Carolina. Holloway returned to Oxford for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons, where he helped lead the Rebels to a 2013 SEC Tournament Title and an NCAA Tournament berth, where they took down five-seeded Wisconsin in the first round.

Following his time with Ole Miss, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens during the 2013 NFL Training Camp, and even turned down an opportunity with the SEC Network to begin his professional basketball career. Over the course of 10 years, Holloway found success playing pro ball in Turkey, Italy, France, Israel, and South Korea.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to cover this program and get to work with Gary Darby,” Holloway said. “I’m looking forward to continuing to learn the game from a high level through Coach Beard and his staff, and to get back to being around the game and the players. I’ve known Gary Darby since I was playing at Ole Miss, and am definitely excited to work with and learn from him.”

Kellum ties the bow on a 26-year run on the radio mic for Ole Miss Men’s Basketball. The long-time “Voice of the Rebels” and nine-time Mississippi Sportscaster of the Year looks forward to focusing on football for the 27th season and baseball for the 48th.

“This adjustment will help lessen my workload and eliminate any sport-overlap conflicts,” said Kellum. “I am very excited for Gary and Murphy to take over basketball, and I know they will be fantastic.”

An assistant coach under Rod Barnes at Ole Miss from 1999-2002, Dukes retired from his role as analyst on the broadcast at the end of the 2024-25 season. He brought years of coaching experience to the air from his time on the bench in Oxford and his head coaching position with Northwest Mississippi CC, where he won two state championships.

Following a season with record-setting attendance numbers, anticipation for the upcoming 2025-26 season is high. Renewals for season tickets are available now for the next year for previous season ticket holders. New season tickets can be purchased at OleMissTix.com.

-Courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics