Dennis Gates speaks at SEC Tipoff, will ‘Always be there for Mark Mitchell’

Missouri basketball coach Dennis Gates was slated to speak Wednesday at SEC Tipoff. Instead, he spoke Tuesday and will soon attend prospective Tiger Mark Mitchell’s court hearing in Kentucky on Wednesday. Mitchell is in search of a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the NCAA for a fifth season of eligibility.

Mitchell played the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons at Missouri, guiding the Tigers to two NCAA Tournament appearances after an 0-19 finish in Southeastern Conference play the season before his arrival.

“I’ll always be there for Mark Mitchell, man. Without a doubt,” Gates said Tuesday. “And that’s what it’s about. It’s not about using these young people. It’s about stepping foot lockstep with them every step of the way so they can know they’re supported.”

Mitchell originally committed to Kentucky earlier this offseason before flipping back to Missouri. Gates said he didn’t need to pitch a return to the program for Mitchell.

"I never had a recruiting conversation with Mark. Never had one conversation. I asked him how can I help him. That's it That's my answer," Gates said. ...When you have a kid for two years, you don't have to recruit anybody. ... When you do things the right way, you don't have to recruit. You just hold your arms open, give them a hug when they return."

Freshmen Crowe, Bryant to start (for now)

Gates announced that — as of right now — five-star freshmen Jason Crowe Jr. and Toni Bryant would both be in the starting lineup. As of Tuesday, Mitchell is ineligible. That could change in the coming days and even throughout the season.

“Right now, if I had to start, my two McDonalds All Americans are starting. Jason Crowe at the point and Toni Bryant as a versatile forward," Gates said. "For me, those two are gonna be in our lineup first day. I’m saying that based on what I’ve seen. No one in our program or on our team, on our roster, is surprised. Based off what they have, too, seen, it’s been consistent work, consistent results and consistent effort from those two guys.

Gates has only started three freshmen in his four seasons at Missouri: four-star guard Annor Boateng (2024-25), four-star center Jordan Butler (2023-24) and four-star forward Aidan Shaw (2022-23). Butler was the only one of the three to start double-digit games but was on one of the worst rosters in conference history, as the team finished 0-19 in Southeastern Conference play that season. Boateng averaged 2.7 points and 6.4 minutes per game in his freshman campaign, while Shaw averaged 2.7 points and 10.6 minutes per game.

Crowe and Bryant are expected to be much bigger contributors than any of the previous three freshman starters. Gates also said four-star freshman forward Aidan Chronister “will have minutes that he’ll play.”

Gates has long recruited Tiller

Missouri’s premiere transfer portal signing of the offseason was four-star Kansas forward Bryson Tiller. Tiller thoroughly impressed in the Tigers’ pro day on Sunday and is set to be a key contributor in the upcoming season.

Although Gates got Tiller to Columbia this go-around, he struck out a few times in years past — even at Cleveland State, where the targeting of Tiller was a tad ambitious.

“I happened to have a kid on my team, Cole Middleton, who played at Cleveland State for me, but graduated from Pace Academy," Gates said. "So when it comes down to Bryson Tiller, his family, but their relationship with each other, I knew exactly what that young man needed, and all I had to do was be myself. I saw something in him as a young freshman, but I had delusion. Delusion as the head coach at Cleveland State that I was going to offer a kid that was top 10 and sign him to Cleveland State, right?

“Lo and behold, I get an opportunity at Missouri. I try again because Bryson Tiller is going into his senior year, and I struck out twice. The third time around I just had my arms open.”

Gates has been one of the most successful recruiters in program history since arriving to Missouri ahead of the 2022-23 season. He has accounted for six of the Tigers’ top 15 highest-ranked commits, and two of the top three in Crowe and Bryant.

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