Heading into Missouri men’s basketball’s opening game, senior guard Javon Pickett had a lot of slack to pick up following the exit of multiple veteran starters, including 4 of their top 6 scorers. Many questioned if he was up to the task.

If his performance in the team’s win over Central Michigan is any indication — then it’s safe to assume that question has been answered.

Pickett filled the statsheet in his first outing of the new year, leading all Tigers in scoring with 18 points, which included the team’s first basket of the 2021-22 season. Pickett played nearly wire to wire, logging 39 minutes of the 40 minute contest. 

His presence on the court was felt each and every moment of the game: diving for loose balls, knocking down jumpers and pushing the ball straight through the defense into the paint. Pickett never looked uncomfortable out on the floor, taking charge and shooting 8-14 from the field with confidence.

“… Javon set an aggressive tone, making plays at the rim,” Missouri head coach Cuonzo Martin said.

But perhaps Pickett’s biggest contribution came not from his statistics in the box score, but from his attitude and leadership in the huddle. 

“He was great, his leadership was great,” Martin said. “Guys lean on him for counsel [and] leadership.”

His coach was not the only one impressed with the leadership. Junior guard Amari Davis, who finished the game with 14 points in his Missouri debut, offered high praise for the senior.

“[Pickett] was getting on us, telling us to lock up on defense — even in the locker room at halftime [to] get stops on defense,” Davis said.

Pickett has shifted into a premier role in the team’s rotation during his final year, after primarily coming off the bench behind guards Xavier Pinson and Dru Smith last season, who departed via transfer and graduation, respectively. In order for the Tigers to compete in the SEC and to claw their way into the NCAA tournament conversation, a major uptick in production is needed from veteran players like Pickett and junior forward Kobe Brown. Pickett held up his end of the bargain, and was more than ready to face the challenge.

His scoring total against Central Michigan nearly tripled his per-game average in his junior campaign, where he posted just over 6 points a game.

Pickett will continue to serve a key role in Missouri’s offense moving forward, and the guard will look to maintain his high production next week when Missouri squares off against in-state rival UMKC on Nov. 15. 

Edited by Mason Arneson, marneson@themaneater.com