After going 22-12 in the regular season, Missouri’s men’s basketball team failed to win their 2025 NCAA Tournament matchup against Drake. Unfortunately, their 2024-25 campaign was not a success without a March Madness win. While the Tigers recruited five transfers, they didn’t make the same quality moves that other SEC teams made, evident by their 10-8 record in in-conference play.
Tigers head coach Dennis Gates has changed that during the 2026 recruiting cycle.
Five-Star Commit Toni Bryant Joins Missouri’s 2026 Recruiting Class
After getting a commitment from five-star prospect Jason Crowe Jr. in July, Missouri has picked up another key player to tip-off September. On Monday, fellow five-star prospect Toni Bryant also announced his decision to commit to Gates and the Tigers, according to several reports.
Breaking News:
Five-star forward Toni Bryant tells ESPN that he has committed to coach Dennis Gates and Missouri.
Bryant to ESPN: “Coach Gates isn’t just a recruiter; he’s a teacher and a developer. He’s building professionals, and that’s why I trust him with my future.” pic.twitter.com/ICGU7WKXhb
— Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) September 8, 2025
So, what does this mean for Missouri? What is their outlook in 2025-26 and beyond? Let’s dive in.
Missouri’s 2026 Recruiting Class
Crowe isn’t just the first player to commit to Missouri’s 2026 class, he’ll be the highest-ranked high school prospect to play for their basketball program since former top-three recruit Michael Porter Jr., who now plays for the Brooklyn Nets. With that in mind, ESPN and 247 consider Crowe a top-five recruit. Rivals (On3) has him ranked ninth in the country.
A crafty left-handed guard, Crowe relies on technical skill rather than his athletic tools. He’ll make winning plays in whatever fashion he can, but he’s an elite scorer who tends to shoot first. At 6-foot-3 and 170 pounds, he’ll need to add strength to better compete in the tough SEC though. He’ll be a solid player regardless, but even fifteen pounds of muscle could make all the difference if he plans to go to the NBA after one year.
The Tigers second 2026 commit, Bryant will bolster the forward rotation in the near future. He doesn’t have the same level of refinement as some other top recruits. Nevertheless, his physical tools make him a dominating force. At 6-foot-9 and 215 pounds, his physique is more than suitable for a power forward. His raw athleticism gives him game-changing potential.
In terms of his developmental trajectory, Bryant could be a great prospect as early as his freshman season. However, he’s a high-upside recruit in the short-term or long-term.
Missouri’s Past Recruiting
In just one year, Mizzou basketball has grown leaps and bounds.
However, their lackluster 2025 class mirrored their 2023-24 struggles, and was perhaps even influenced by it. Taking a brisk walk down memory lane, the Tigers went 8-24 in what was Gates’ second season as Missouri’s head coach. Then, Missouri ranked 15th out of 16 SEC teams in high school recruiting for the Class of 2025. They also finished 14th out of 16 SEC teams in transfer portal recruiting, particularly problematic considering the growing recognition of the transfer portal’s role in overall success,.
With that being said, while two NCAA Tournament appearances sandwich that dreadful season, Gates hadn’t earned the benefit of the doubt yet. He has Missouri moving in the right direction, but they need to find consistency as a team. Ultimately, if Gates can navigate this season with moderate success, he will set the program up to become a more consistent NCAA Tournament threat each year.
Missouri’s Place in the SEC
In 2025, Florida won the national championship. Unsurprisingly, they were able to add several key recruits in the transfer portal to replace their summertime departures. Meanwhile, Kentucky continued its transfer portal dominance, bringing in several top recruits of their own.
All in all, the SEC used their elite season to pick up 10 of the top 30 transfer portal classes in 2025. However, Missouri failed to keep up with its counterparts in that department. Should the trend of transfer recruits being essential players continue, and there’s no reason to believe it won’t, it will be tough for the Tigers to repeat their success next season.
Of course, Missouri has added a couple of notable transfers over the years, like former Duke forward Mark Mitchell. If he and others step up beyond their expectations, the Tigers can clinch an NCAA Tournament berth in 2025-26. Essentially, the lack of recruiting from last year could cost them a tournament bid. Yet, with the dominance of the SEC, they could finish 13th and still find themselves in.
When Bryant made his commitment decision this morning, he added hope beyond this season. After all, Missouri seeks to gain prominence in the SEC. Adding five-star recruits like him and Crowe will allow the Tigers to do just that, becoming one of the powerhouse programs.
© Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images
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