Missouri men’s basketball hit an all-time low after a disastrous 2023-24 campaign in which they went winless in conference play. A big reason for their one-year turnaround can be attributed to the leap in production from sophomore guard Anthony Robinson ll.

Robinson was one of three high school recruits on last year’s team, a three-star recruit out of Tallahassee, Florida. Much like his rating out of high school, he’s flying under the radar this season as one of the most impactful two-way players in college basketball.

Statistical leap

After a freshman campaign where Robinson played the most minutes of any freshmen despite not starting a game, he earned a consistent spot in Missouri’s starting five in year two. Robinson looked like a new player throughout the non-conference slate, averaging 10.7 points per game and scoring a career-high 29 points in the Tigers’ 18-point comeback victory over California.

“You can look at the stat sheet and look at certain things he did, but what’s telling was his leadership,” head coach Dennis Gates said after the win.

Robinson has been the definition of an all-around player in his second season. He’s shown the ability to create for others, get to the rim and even pull down rebounds. He’s the only Tiger this season to average over three rebounds and assists per game, all while protecting the ball with a 2-1 assist/turnover ratio.

Robinson shoots an impressive 41% from 3-point range, but this is somewhat deceiving due to the lack of volume. His track record of 49 3-pointers attempted this year is the eighth most on the team, which shows a possible lack of confidence in his stroke from long-range. The moments of consistency from this part of Robinson’s game show why he garners buzz as an NBA draft prospect.

As a freshman, Robinson saw 13.5 minutes per game, largely due to his defensive prowess. He has upped his game on that end of the court even more, averaging two steals per game, good for 40th in the nation.

“He’s a winner,” Robinson’s younger brother, Amare, said. “He will do the little things no matter what to do so. Being active on defense is his way of impacting games without always having to score.”

Despite having a small frame at 6 feet, 3 inches tall and 180 pounds, Robinson possesses above-average defensive instincts. He puts himself in a position to make plays, even guarding away from the ball. When the ball gets thrown into the post, Robinson can create turnovers by stripping forwards when they put the ball on the floor. This trait was most apparent in the game against Long Island University on Dec. 14, where he notched a career-high six steals.