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BASKETBALL RECRUITING
Let's start out talking 2024. It's the hot topic these days. Missouri has already taken five high school players and three transfers. We anticipate two more takes in this class, unless a specific player wants to jump in, then we can see a third for sure. Here's what's left and the latest on all of them:
Mark Mitchell, Forward, Duke: It's more when than if at this point. We've been telling you all week Missouri is in excellent position. Mitchell hasn't taken visits and almost certainly won't. This could happen at really any time. We will be surprised if we get to Monday and it hasn't happened yet. At some point, Mitchell should be Mizzou's fourth transfer commit. He averaged 11.6 points and 6 rebounds at Duke. We talked about him quite a bit on the live show last night. What we continue to hear about Mitchell is that Duke turns players into parts of a system. They ask you to do one or two things, you do those one or two things really well and it gives Duke a very good team. But it may not show the entire skill set. Mitchell struggled shooting the ball last year, no question. His jump shot needs some technical work. But he's athletic, he can defend and rebound and in a system where he doesn't have as many alphas around him, he could turn into the focal point of a team pretty quickly. If he averaged 11 and 6 surrounded by all the talent he was at Duke, you'd expect a jump in those numbers at Mizzou, and perhaps a significant one. Many (the writer included) believe he would be Missouri's best player the day he steps on campus.
Jevon Porter, Forward, Pepperdine: He's been in the portal for nearly six weeks. For the entirety of the time Missouri has been considered the leader. That hasn't changed. Missouri is still seen as a strong leader. Nothing is going to happen this week. Everybody knows there's a lot going on in the family right now. None of it's Jevon's fault, but obviously it impacts him. Had Jontay's situation not boiled over this week, it very well may have happened already. We still anticipate he commits to Missouri, we just don't think it happens for a few days. We could certainly reach a point--and may be getting close to it--when Missouri has to pick up its pursuit of other targets if Porter isn't ready to make a decision. But for now, we're still forecasting him as the final piece of this class.
Jayden Quaintance, F/C, Raleigh, NC: Quaintance has asked out of his NLI with Kentucky. Kentucky people do not believe he will go there. He is on a visit to Louisville this weekend. Obviously following John Calipari to Arkansas is an option. Missouri is involved. We can confirm communication between the two sides. The Tigers' NIL package (which will matter here) is impressive. We've also checked with multiple people close to Arkansas this week and unconnected people said the same thing: "John Tyson is not going to be outbid for a player Calipari really wants." That's not a lock that Arkansas gets him. It's just a heads up that you're swimming in deep NIL waters here and it will be interesting to see how far either side would want to go in a bidding war situation. If we had to forecast this one right now, we'd give Arkansas an edge over Missouri, but it's not a huge or insurmountable edge. The Tigers are in it. Louisville got the first visit, but is generally considered perhaps a bit more of a darkhorse here (Pat Kelsey didn't recruit Quaintance last time around while both Calipari and Dennis Gates did). This is a situation for Mizzou similar to what it was in the fall. If Quaintance says he wants to come, you absolutely take him and figure out the numbers later. If he doesn't, Missouri won't take anyone in his place.
While 2024 is still capturing everyone's attention, we're close to 2025 taking center stage.
AAU season is about to start heating up with the Nike EYBL circuit set to hold its first session in Memphis next weekend. After taking as big of a class as Mizzou did in 2024, the team is looking to cap the 2025 class at roughly three recruits. And with a handful of freshman and sophomore bigs already on the roster and point guard Aaron Rowe already committed for ‘25, the staff seems to be narrowing down its shortlist to the wings in this year’s cycle.
Here are a few of the players who’ve drawn Missouri’s attention that we’re hoping to get our eyes on during the EYBL season.
Dorian Jones
Jones took an official visit to MU this week, we’ll reach out to him to see how it went. The Cleveland native averaged 13.7 points and 4.6 rebounds playing for All Ohio 16U last season.
Chuck Love III
Mizzou has maintained a steady interest in Love since offering him while he attended the team’s camp in August 2022. We’re told the Lincoln, Neb. native will take an official visit to see the Tigers in the not-too-distant future. Love averaged 9.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists with MOKAN Elite 16U last year and will team up with Rowe on the 17U squad this season.
Jalen Haralson
Love’s teammate at La Lumiere High School (Ind.), is another player expected to visit Missouri soon. The Fishers, Ind. native put up 11.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game playing up with Indy Heat 17U last year.
Jasper Johnson
Johnson was teammates with 2024 guard T.O. Barrett this season a few hours down the road at Link Academy. There was some thought that the Lexington, Ky. native would want to play for his hometown team in Kentucky. However, after John Calipari’s departure to Arkansas, those odds might not be the same as they once were. Mizzou’s continued to pursue Johnson since hosting him on an official visit in November. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists playing up with Team Thad 17U last year, helping the squad reach the Peach Jam tournament.
Nicholas Randall
The St. Louis native is still early in his recruiting process having yet to take an official visit anywhere. Randall posted 9.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game play for Brad Beal Elite 16U last season.
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