STARKVILLE — Mississippi State men’s basketball guard Josh Hubbard has again been recognized for his community work across his home state.
The Madison native was named to the SEC Community Service Team for the second year in a row. The announcement on Thursday came a week after Hubbard received the John Wooden Cup, recognizing his charitable work over the course of his time in Starkville.
Hubbard spent Wednesday afternoon furthering his work with Make-A-Wish Mississippi, joining the organization at Walk-On’s in Starkville to present a Disney World trip and several gifts to Kaiden Manuel, a 12-year-old Belzoni native living with Sickle Cell Disease.
Manuel told The Dispatch that he loves baseball more than basketball, but he was more than happy to meet with Hubbard and get his own signed ball from the MSU star.
“It means a lot,” Manuel said. “It’s my first time meeting him in person, and it feels good.”
Hubbard joined Make-A-Wish for a “Buckets for Wishes” campaign during the 2025-26 season, raising money pledged from donors for every three-point shot made. At present, Hubbard leads the team with 86 three-pointers and has become the program’s all-time leader in made threes with 302 and counting.
“I would say the first time I really thought about it was the Auburn game, when I had 10 threes,” Hubbard told The Dispatch about the fundraising initiative. “A lot of fans were talking about it, but otherwise, I just get caught up in having fun and doing what I love to do.”
Hubbard spent some time with Kaiden, signing autographs and talking sports.
“The basketball, that made me smile,” Hubbard said of the meeting. “I was chatting up with Kaiden about his favorite players, he said Kobe Bryant. Football, baseball, he’s just an athletic kid. I was the same way. Talking to him and getting to relate to him was special.”
Buckets for Wishes has raised more than $75,000 to help grant 11 wishes for Mississippi kids living with life-threatening illnesses.
In addition to granting wishes, Hubbard has lent his services to several other charitable causes in the state. He founded the Josh Hubbard Showcase two years ago, which has awarded approximately $40,000 in scholarship money, and over the holiday season he partnered with Aerus and US Foods to provide food and donations to the Ballas Family Community Kitchen in Greenwood. In December, Hubbard spent a day at the Children’s Hospital of Mississippi in Jackson handing out nearly 100 gifts to patients.
As a kid, Hubbard spent 19 days at the hospital after being diagnosed and treated for Kawasaki disease, a blood vessel inflammation that mainly affects children. His work with children now is helping to shape the lives of those facing similar battles, and he realized the importance of using his platform to do so when given the chance to give back.
“It’s definitely important. Growing up, I learned that it’s bigger than me, and to do something like this, not a lot of athletes get that opportunity,” he said. “When the opportunity was upon me, I had to take it, to help these kids and help these wishes be granted.”
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
