Dennis Gates' Case for National Coach of the Year

Dennis Gates' Case for National Coach of the Year - The Extra Point

With a 6-2 start to SEC play, the third-year head coach of the Missouri Tigers currently has as good of an arguement as possibly any coach in the country.

Dec 14, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Dennis Gates reacts to play against the LIU Sharks during the first half at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Watch the video below as Mizzou basketball reporter Joey Van Zummeren discusses the resume Tigers head coach Dennis Gates has built to be considered for the National Coach of the Year Award.

Welcome to Missouri Tigers On SI's "Extra Point," a video series featuring the site's Missouri beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers provide analysis on a topic concerning the Tigers or the landscape of college sports.

Before the 2024-'25 basketball season, few would've slated Missouri Tigers head coach Dennis Gates to be a formiadable candidate for the National Coach of the Year Award. The Tigers were mostly picked to finsih near the bottom of the Southeastern Conference again.

But halfway through their SEC slate, the Tigers stand at No. 3 in the conference with a 6-2 record in league play. The turnaround has been in large part thanks to the additions Missouri made through the transfer portal, acquiring the No. 13-rated portal class despite finishing 0-18 in SEC play last season.

Additionally, the development of sophomores Anthony Robinson II and Trent Pierce seems to be a reflection of the developmental ability Gates and his coaching staff has.

The ability to retain key players like Caleb Grill and Tamar Bates also stands out as a testament to the trust Gates has built with his players.

Gates seems to have every player bought into his vision for not only their individual role on the team, but the culture he's looking to instill.

"It’s player-led," Gates said in a press conference of Missouri's culture. "I coach my heart out. I coach our guys hard in practice and they coach themselves in the game almost. And it's almost to a perspective of how well they're preparing, but also our staff and their preparation in the hours and the minutes and the details that we don't leave uncovered."

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