With a five-man transfer class and an exciting three-player freshman crew, we may very well know all of the names who will wear a Mizzou uniform this upcoming season.
Missouri basketball has 14 players either returning, signed or committed to play in the 2026-27 campaign. Roster maximums are set at 15 players by the NCAA, meaning the Tigers can add another signing, if they want.
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But, the current expectation is Dennis Gates’ days on the recruiting trail for his fifth season with Mizzou are done.
There’s a lot to like about the group who will congregate in CoMo this summer for offseason workouts.
Mizzou’s five-player transfer portal haul is the No. 12-ranked transfer class in the country, in the recruiting service 247Sports’ estimation.
That group, which had a frontcourt-first priority, includes Kansas forward Bryson Tiller, Tennessee big man Jaylen Carey, Providence wing/guard Jamier Jones, BYU guard Kennard Davis Jr. and South Dakota guard Jordan Crawford.
More: What South Dakota transfer Jordan Crawford adds to Missouri basketball
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MU’s three-player freshman class is one of six nationally with two five-star commitments, joining Duke, Arkansas, Kansas, USC and Alabama.
It includes the No. 6-national prospect in Jason Crowe Jr., one of the most highly anticipated signings in Missouri history, as well as forward Toni Bryant and wing Aidan Chronister.
You won’t find much argument that, at least on paper, this is Gates’ most-talented top-to-bottom roster since he has been in Columbia.
The Tigers have reloaded a frontcourt that lost Mark Mitchell with a pair of Power-conference starters.
If Crowe can live up to his one-and-done, 2027 NBA Draft lottery pick billing, losing both point guards in Anthony Robinson II (Florida State) and T.O. Barrett (Vanderbilt) to the transfer portal shouldn’t feel like too much of a loss at all.
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There is certainly no shortage of size. Mizzou is likely to start a shooting guard who is listed at 6-foot-6 in Davis or Jones. With Tiller and returners Trent Pierce and Trent Burns, there are lineups that could feature three players listed at 6-11 or taller. Carey is listed at a bulldozing 6-8, 267 pounds.
The makeup of the team should give Gates his best rebounding team, and it has the potential to be his strongest defensive outfit.
But the biggest reason for optimism?
The versatility at Gates’ disposal.
With a strict, primary-position breakdown at how we expect next season’s roster to look, here’s how the Tigers shape up. Transfers are listed with an asterisk (*):
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Point guard: Jason Crowe Jr. (fr.); Aaron Rowe (r-fr.)
Shooting guard: *Kennard Davis Jr. (sr.); *Jamier Jones (so.); *Jordan Crawford (r-sr.)
Wing/small forward: Trent Pierce (sr.); Annor Boateng (jr.); Aidan Chronister (fr.)
Power forward: *Bryson Tiller (so.); *Jaylen Carey (sr.); Toni Bryant (fr.); Nicholas Randall (so.);
Center: Trent Burns (r-so.); Luke Northweather (r-sr.)
But dressing this squad up with a one-position limit is doing it a disservice.
Here’s a more accurate portrayal of where we could expect to see some players, depending on how big Mizzou wants to go or the style that Gates wants to play:
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PG: Crowe; Davis; Crawford; Rowe
SG: Davis; Jones; Crawford; Chronister
W/SF: Pierce; Jones; Davis; Boateng; Chronister
PF: Tiller; Carey; Pierce; Bryant; Randall
C: Tiller; Burns; Carey; Northweather
The five transfers, Crowe, Pierce, Bryant and Burns are who we currently expect to be the top-nine players in the rotation.
Crowe should eat most of the minutes, but Gates has now indicated multiple times, including in Davis’ official signing statement Friday, that Davis “can play the one or the two for us.”
Davis’ primary position should be the two-guard, though, as a strong perimeter defender and trigger-happy 3-point shooter. He’ll partner with Jones, more of an above-the-rim attacker, at shooting guard, and Crawford can earn minutes if his mid-major 3-point production translates to the SEC.
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Pierce is a rare fourth-year, single-school senior and will start on the wing as one of Mizzou’s top 3-point threats. Jones has forward experience from his rookie year at Providence.
How Mizzou lines up and rotates its frontcourt will be fascinating.
Tiller, Carey, Bryant and Burns will play the bulk of the minutes across the four and five. If Mizzou has a Mitchell replacement in line for major minutes, it’s Tiller. But, Carey is one of the best rebounders in the sport, which could make him a useful frontcourt partner for the long-but-light, 7-5 Burns.
Tiller also can spend some time at the five, if Mizzou wants. Bryant will need to hit the ground running as a rookie, but he should find himself in the rotation.
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After that, minutes need to be earned.
Rowe may be able to work himself into the point guard rotation after redshirting last year, but he needs to add some offseason size. Boateng is a question mark after sustaining a serious leg injury this past January.
Randall should see the floor in nonconference play but will need to impress beyond what we saw from his rookie year to hold on to a role. Northweather is a frontcourt reserve, and Chronister has to show up as a viable 3-point specialist early in his college career to play meaningful minutes.
For now, the roster looks like it will primarily be eight- or nine-deep once the big games arrive, which looks like it will be earlier than usual this year with neutral-site November games planned against SLU and Marquette.
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More: Mizzou basketball reportedly planning to play SLU at Enterprise Center
Where and when those eight or nine players spend the most of their time could be one of this year’s most intriguing storylines.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: What could Missouri basketball rotation look like in 2026-27?
