Missouri men’s basketball is adding five new players from the transfer portal this season, one of those being former Iowa State guard Caleb Grill.

The graduate student spent three seasons with Iowa State — opting to play at UNLV his sophomore year — and is coming off a 9.5 points per game season. Grill is mostly known for his 3-point shooting ability, taking 5.8 of his 7.3 shot attempts per game from behind the arc last season and knocking down nearly 37% of them. 

Grill was a key floor-spacer for an Iowa State offense that lacked many true offensive weapons last season, with the majority of his 3-pointers coming off the catch. Missouri coach Dennis Gates introduced a brand of offense featuring a heavy emphasis on the 3-pointer, so his shooting volume is predicted to only go up at Missouri.

Grill has also shown the capability of being a solid defender on the perimeter, grabbing just over a steal per game last season. His four rebounds a game were also impressive given his 6-foot-3 height, which could be an important skill given the Tigers rebounding struggles last season.

Grill still does have weaknesses on that side of the ball, specifically in mismatched situations against bigger wings and centers that Missouri will want to prevent. On a roster with depth at the frontcourt positions, Grill could see less of those matchups this season.

Transitioning from a defensive-minded Iowa State team to an offensive-minded Missouri team is a big change for Grill to embrace in his final year of eligibility, even if it could potentially be a better fit. 

“Both are really good for winning recipes, they’re just two different mindsets and philosophies,” Grill said, comparing the two playstyles.

Settling into a new playstyle takes time, especially with an offense as explosive as Missouri’s.  However, Grill is finding himself comfortable with the team in his short time on the roster. 

“It’s a good adjustment but I feel really relaxed and calm out there. No stress,” Grill said. 

Iowa State’s visit to MU on Jan. 28 in the 2023 SEC/Big 12 Challenge gave Grill his first look at a roaring Missouri crowd, factoring in his decision to transfer to the program in the spring. The Tigers were in the middle of their most successful season in a decade, making for an incredible atmosphere in Mizzou Arena. 

On seeing them for the first time, “I just felt really connected to the group,” Grill said. “It reminded me a lot of Iowa State with how they play at home.”

“When they played at home it was like having a sixth man out there, and the crowd was so into the game,” Grill said. “You could tell the players fed off that energy. It’s pretty hard to lose when you have a whole environment like that from the players, to the coaches and to the fans.”

Nine months later, Grill is a Missouri Tiger. 

On a team coming off its first March Madness Tournament win in 13 years, the graduate guard has the potential to play a key role in continuing to build the program into a powerhouse in the SEC. With Grill’s ability to shoot the 3-pointer and defend opposing guards, he should receive an ample amount of playing time for Missouri this season.