Missouri basketball landed their fourth commitment of the 2024 recruiting class on Sept. 22 with Arkansas native Annor Boateng. The 6-foot 5-inch, 205-pound guard brings valuable tools to the table. 

For one, Boateng has a high motor and plays hard on both sides of the ball. He is a powerful 205-pound guard who uses his strength to his advantage by muscling through powerful defenders and guarding heavier forwards. 

Boateng’s primary strength is his defense. He moves quickly side-to-side and shuffles his feet efficiently, which helps him to keep up with quicker players. He has the speed to keep up with quicker guards and the strength to body up bigger forwards. Boateng is a steal machine as well, averaging 1.9 steals per game during his junior season. Based on recording of Boateng’s play, a large amount of his steals come from guarding opposing players one-on-one. 

His 6-foot 11-inch wingspan helps him defensively guard man-to-man. Another important skill set on the defensive end is being vocal. This is something Boateng excelled at during high school, as he was often seen communicating cuts and screens in recordings of his play, as well as his position on the court.

Boateng also offers a lot offensively; he has a mechanically sound jump shot. There aren’t any major fixes he needs to make with his shot, but he could definitely become more consistent. His recruiting stock over the summer skyrocketed, moving him to a top 50 player on some recruiting sites.

He works well getting downcourt because he can use his strength to power through bigger defenders. His handle could tighten up a little bit, but he absorbs contact at the rim well and can body up defenders while attacking. There are instances in game recordings where he avoids contact and takes inefficient shots because of that contact. 

All in all, Boateng is a strong addition to the 2024 recruiting class. His versatility on offense and defense as well as his physical tools make him a player who could make an instant impact for the Tigers. Coach Gates’ choice to pull out-of-state recruits from other programs could be a good sign for the future of Missouri basketball recruiting. 

Edited by Quentin Corpuel | qcorpuel@themaneater.com

Copy Edited by Emma Short and Sterling Sewell | ssewell@themaneater.com 

Edited by Sophie Rentschler | srentschler@themaneater.com