Missouri men’s basketball is heading into year 4 of the Dennis Gates experience, and although there are some doubts about his on-court coaching ability, Gates has solidified himself as one of the best recruiters in the country. Gates joined the program in the midst of the NIL era coming into effect, and he has taken advantage of the Tigers’ reported $32 million NIL budget.

Gates has been effective in the transfer portal, bringing in impact players like Mark Mitchell, Caleb Grill and Tamar Bates. Gates has also snagged numerous high recruits, including two 5-stars in the 2026 class, Jason Crowe Jr. and Toni Bryant.

However, Gates has struggled to turn talent into major success for the team. Despite making the NCAA Tournament in two of his three seasons, Gates has failed to advance past the round of 32 with Missouri. With recent recruiting success, Gates is now faced with a new challenge: distributing minutes. Although it’s difficult to project the development of the Tigers’ players along with the unpredictability of the transfer portal, there should be plenty of opportunity for Missouri’s newest 5-stars in the future.

Jason Crowe Jr.

Crowe Jr. is the first 5-star recruit in the Gates era and the second-highest recruit in school history. Crowe, the No. 9 overall recruit in the 2026 class, stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 170 pounds. He chose Missouri over schools such as Kentucky, USC and Texas.

“Since early July, I have felt a strong commitment to Missouri,” Crowe Jr. said in an interview with ESPN.

Crowe Jr. is a natural-born scorer. Last spring, he led all of the EYBL U17 circuit in scoring. In eight games, Crowe Jr. averaged 24.8 points per game on 44.4% from the field, 39.7% from three and 80.4% from the charity stripe.

His creative handle allows him to create out of isolation (one on one situations), and to improve positioning in the pick and roll. Crowe Jr. is at his best in the open floor, using a variety of ball fakes and slick footwork to create opportunities. Crowe’s shot-making ability is effective and efficient from all three levels. Crowe possesses the ability to step well beyond the arc and hit deep three-pointers.

Defensively, Crowe Jr. has flashed some intriguing ability, but he is far less inspiring on this end of the floor. Crowe Jr. possesses good instincts on and off the ball. His lateral quickness is good enough for him to stay in front of most ball handlers, but his lack of strength allows bigger players to knock him around. In high school, Crowe Jr. tended to ease up when his team had a comfortable lead — not exactly ideal, but not the end of the world either. As for the concern in EYBL play, he was dealing with a foot injury that eventually required surgery, which explains the momentary lapses. Overall, Crowe Jr. may not be the most exciting defender, but he is serviceable.

It’s difficult to project what role Crowe Jr. will play in a year. Missouri is projected to return four guards in the 2026 season, all of whom are impact players. There is a solid chance that guard Anthony Robinson ll will garner some NBA draft buzz next season, but with the NIL market, that is far from a guarantee. If Robinson chooses to go the draft route, look for guards T.O. Barrett, Aaron Rowe and Sebastian Mack to compete for the open minutes. There is always a chance that a few of these players will choose to transfer out of Missouri, but to be honest, none of that matters. Crowe Jr. is the kind of player who transcends programs. He is arguably the most decorated scorer the Tigers have ever brought in, and it would be a disservice to not give him a significant role. Overall, look for Crowe Jr. to be an impact player from day one.

Toni Bryant

The commitment of Toni Bryant marks the second 5-star commit for Gates in the 2026 class. He chose Missouri over more than 50 other schools — including the likes of Arizona, Florida State and Kansas.

“No head coach has recruited me longer than Coach Gates,” Bryant said in an interview with ESPN. “Coach Gates sees me as a person, not just a player, and that relationship was built on genuine belief, not just transactions.”

Bryant is a sturdy 6-foot-9 and 215 pounds, which he pairs with freakish athletic traits, making him a fright on both ends of the floor. As it stands, Bryant projects as a power forward.

His game tends to work outside-to-in, but his stellar athletic ability makes him a threat when moving downhill. In the half court, Bryant is limited but effective. He’s willing to play out of post ups or face ups, and he actively looks to punish mismatches. Along with that, his quick rip through and first step allow him to punish poor closeouts. Bryant’s shot is still a work in progress, but he has shown mechanical improvements in recent years. The ball does tend to stick when he touches it, making playmaking a huge point of emphasis regarding his development.

Defensively, Bryant is raw, but he has plenty of room to improve. His lateral quickness and burst allow him to cover ground rapidly. It’s easy to conclude that he is too aggressive on defense, trying to chase blocks and steals. However, it’s a lot easier to tone back aggressiveness than it is to teach it, setting a higher floor for Bryant’s defense.

A big part in Missouri’s push to recruit Bryant was likely due to them needing replacements for Mark Mitchell, Jevon Porter and Jacob Crews, who will all be graduating following this season. Bryant’s role will be dependent on how much he continues to develop, but there is a good chance that he will compete with Nicholas Randall and Trent Pierce for starter minutes next season.

Edited by Colin Simmons l [email protected]
Copy edited by Alana Sheba and Avery Copeland | [email protected]
Edited by Chase Pray | [email protected]