NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Forward Mason Nicholson will join Vanderbilt men’s basketball for the 2025-26 season after spending the previous two years at Jacksonville State.
The 6-foot-10 big man started 35 of 36 games a junior for the Gamecocks. He averaged 7.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in the 2024-25 campaign.
“Mason has tremendous size and is extremely motivated to be a really good player in the SEC,” said head coach Mark Byington. “At Jacksonville State, he showed his ability to be physical, change the game defensively and drastically improve each year. He is extremely coachable and will be ready to impact our team.”
Nicholson scored in double figures 10 times for Jax State last season, including a career-high 20 points at Western Kentucky in January. He added 12 rebounds in that contest to record one of four double-doubles on the season. Nicholson grabbed double-digit boards in nine games as a junior with a career-high 14 rebounds against Georgia State in November.
In two contests against high-major competition last season, Nicholson produced eight points and nine rebounds against both Missouri and Georgia Tech.
In 2023-24, Nicholson averaged 6.5 points and 5.4 rebounds in his second season with the Gamecocks. He racked up double figures on 12 occasions and notched three double-doubles.
Nicholson redshirted in 2022-23 with an injury after beginning his career at Northwest Florida State under head coach Greg Heiar.
The big hails from Gary, Ind., where he played alongside new Commodore Jalen Washington at Gary West Side Leadership Academy.
