Jason Crowe Jr., fresh off of setting the California record for total points scored in a high school career, securing the Co-MVP in the McDonald’s All-American game and ending his high school season as the seventh-ranked recruit in the class of 2026, will take his talents to Mizzou for the 2026-27 college basketball season.
Here’s what to expect from one of the most highly anticipated recruits in program history.
If there’s one thing Crowe’s better at than anybody else in his class, it’s putting shots up — he averaged 28.9 field goal attempts per game his senior year at Inglewood. Chances are that if Crowe has the ball, he’s looking to put it in the basket. His scoring arsenal is versatile as he can get downhill and attack the rim, hit the occasional step-back three and is lethal in the mid-range, where he often settles for heavily contested pull-ups inside the arc.
Crowe is extremely skilled as a ball handler. He’s a lead guard that can split the pick and get downhill out of ball screens, operate in isolation, attack closeouts or punish a defender for going under the screen. There isn’t a defensive coverage that Crowe fears, which is arguably his best attribute.
While there’s a lot to like about Crowe’s offensive game, there are still areas of improvement. Crowe makes a lot of tough buckets, but some of those shots may not need to be as tough. If he raised his tendency to pass out of double-teams, which is certainly possible to improve upon in time, Crowe could more efficiently distribute touches to his teammates. Working with Missouri head coach Dennis Gates, a former collegiate point guard, will certainly help Crowe hone his playmaking development.
While Crowe has succeeded with extremely high usage in the high school scene, it’s unlikely he gets the same quantity of shots at Missouri — no player at the Division I level attempted 20 or more shots per game. The nation’s leading shot-taker, Jordan Riley of East Carolina, attempted 19.6 shots per game, nearly 10 less than Crowe’s per-game attempts in high school. Crowe’s shot tendencies will most likely need to change upon his arrival in Missouri. It’s possible that having high-level talent around him will help Crowe blossom into a floor general, but there’s no guarantee — he could still primarily be a high-volume shot-taker.
Crowe averaged 5.9 assists per game in his senior season at Inglewood, which isn’t a large quantity considering how much he shoots the ball. He’s by no means a bad passer, rather an infrequent one for a point guard. When he does pass, it typically works out well — he has good timing on pick-and-roll reads, can make the corner skip pass, toss up a lob or throw an interior pass to the dunker spot.
Crowe must tap into his playmaking potential at Mizzou. Playing alongside an athletic, transition-heavy wing, Jamier Jones means it’s up to Crowe to feed him the ball in advantageous situations. Similar to newly-committed forward Bryson Tiller, who is effective off the roll or in pick-and-pop scenarios, it will largely be up to Crowe to get him the ball. Both Tiller and Jones could do wonders for Crowe’s development as a passer, as the trio could complement each other’s games.
While Crowe is an undeniably stellar offensive player, his defense is still questionable. He stands at 6 feet, 4 inches, and weighs 170 pounds, which makes him the second-lightest player on Missouri’s roster. His small stature can lead to Crowe getting pushed around, as he sometimes does, struggling to guard opponents bigger or faster than him. Crowe averaged 3.6 steals per game during his senior season, which is a product of his extremely aggressive on-ball defense. While he certainly generates turnovers with this defense, it can also lead to blown coverage — it’s a gamble.
Crowe could, however, absolve many of these issues when he isn’t asked to carry such a heavy burden on the offensive end, allowing him to put forth more effort on defense.
Crowe is ranked No. 7 overall in his class for a reason. Like all freshmen, he’ll likely face ups and downs this upcoming season at Mizzou, but he’s too talented not to make it work. Players as skilled as Crowe are rare. He’s an all-time pickup for the Tigers and will likely make an immediate impact on the program.
