Missouri basketball: Who can return, what positions will Mizzou target in transfer portal?
On to the next.
After a 67-57 loss to Drake on Thursday in Wichita, Missouri basketball’s 2024-25 season ended in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Now, an entirely new month of madness is approaching.
College basketball’s 30-day transfer portal window will open Monday and close April 22. To slightly complicate matters, the likely approval of revenue sharing in college athletics next month will limit roster sizes to 15 players — all on scholarship.
The Tigers had 18 players on their roster last season. Mizzou is expected to lose six of those players to graduation and eligibility and has two players committed in its Class of 2025, meaning 14 players are either eligible to return or signed to play for MU next season.
But, as we all know, movement in and out is likely, and the Tigers have some choices to make to replace some key departing talent.
Here’s how Missouri’s roster currently shapes up, and what Mizzou is likely to target in the upcoming portal cycle:
Who will leave Missouri basketball this offseason?
Six players will leave Mizzou due to graduation: point guard Tony Perkins; shooting guards/wings Tamar Bates, Caleb Grill and Marques Warrick; center Josh Gray; and preferred walk-on Jeremy Sanchez.
It’s also the college basketball transfer portal, and any team that retains its full squad this offseason will be the outlier.
Given Gates’ previous success at roster retention, it would be surprising to see a significant exodus of players via the transfer portal. It would be equally surprising for all eligible returners to remain on the roster.
Who can return to Mizzou next season?
At point guard, Mizzou can return Anthony Robinson II, T.O. Barrett and Tolton product Aaron Rowe will join the team as a freshman this summer.
There are no traditional shooting guards currently eligible to return, which is clearly the most glaring hole on the roster.
At wing and small forward, Jacob Crews told the Tribune on Wednesday that he intends to use the NCAA’s waiver for former junior college players to maintain a year of eligibility and return next season. Freshmen Annor Boateng and Marcus Allen also can come back as sophomores.
At forward, Mark Mitchell, Trent Pierce and Aidan Shaw can return, and Vashon High and St. Louis product Nicholas Randall will join the squad as a rookie. At center, Peyton Marshall and Trent Burns can return.
With roster limits coming, Missouri also will be forced into a choice with walk-ons Danny Stephens and JV Brown. There will now only be room for 15 scholarship players on a roster, meaning Mizzou must now elevate them to scholarship roles or move on to create room for transfers. The latter seems likelier, given roster constraints.
What positions is Missouri likely to target in transfer portal?
Top of the shopping list: Shooters and an experienced big.
The Tigers absolutely must add a shooting guard or wing — or multiple — to replace the production left behind by Bates and Grill. The duo were two of MU’s top three scorers and took more 3-point attempts than anyone else on the roster last season.
Mizzou probably will chase at least two players who can start at the two or three.
With Marshall and Burns still lacking significant college experience, Missouri also likely will chase a center with some high-level experience — a la Gray last season. Whether the Tigers target another rebounder, like Gray, or go for a big man with more proven offensive production will be intriguing.
Robinson and Barrett leave the backcourt in promising hands, but perhaps a little understaffed. With options currently limited, Robinson may move over to more of a combo guard role in his junior season, and adding another player to run the point could help relieve some ball-handling duties.
Mizzou is entering the portal window with 12 scholarship players eligible to return next season. That would mean the Tigers can only sign three players out of the portal over the next month or so.
That, however, is extremely fluid. Where the Tigers go from here will be highly dependent on who stays and who leaves.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: With transfer portal approaching, here's what Missouri basketball needs
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