How Dennis Gates is Building Mizzou's Roster Around Jason Crowe Jr

The second-highest ranked recruit in Missouri basketball history is set to make his program debut in mere months. Head coach Dennis Gates is doing everything he can to make sure his program has all the right pieces in place for five-star point guard Jason Crowe Jr. to flourish upon his arrival.

Crowe is fresh off one of the best high school careers in recent history, breaking the all-time California high school career scoring record by pouring in 4,178 points in his four seasons at Inglewood High School. His 43.6 points per game in his 2025-26 senior campaign was the second-highest scoring season in the nation.

Crowe then followed up his historical high school season by claiming MVP honors at the McDonalds All American Game, leading all players by scoring 16 points and dishing out five assists. He wasn't done there, however — Crowe dropped 16 points at the Nike Hoop Summit, a game featuring the best players in the 2026 recruiting class.

Given he's done so at every other stop in his career, things are shaping up for Crowe to have a remarkable — and perhaps unprecedented — scoring season at Missouri. Gates will be entering his fifth season as head coach of the Tigers, and Crowe brings something the helm of the program hasn't yet crossed paths with.

Feb 21, 2026; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Dennis Gates during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 94-86. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

In Gates' previous four seasons at Missouri, no freshman has been one of the six highest scorers on the team. The highest-scoring freshman in that same stretch was Anthony Robinson II in 2023-24, who averaged 3.9 points per game on 36.7% shooting. Crowe will almost undoubtebly crush that number.

Even his fellow incoming freshmen recruits, Toni Bryant and Aidan Chronister, have strong chances to beat the previous freshman scoring record under Gates — especially Bryant, who's a consensus top-30 recruit and could contend to start in the frontcourt.

"I want those guys to come in and play and impact our team right away," Gates said. "And that goes for all three, it does not stop with one. It goes with Tony Bryant, it goes with Jason Crowe Jr., as well as Aidan Chronister."

But frsehmen are inexperienced at the collegiate level, and often have an adjustment phase when adapting to the physciality, level of athleticism and changing nature of the game. Gates is constructing his roster around helping Crowe, Bryant and Chronister succeed.

"When you have impactful freshmen who have narrow shoulders and and maybe physically, not as gifted until they mature, you have to put bodies around them," Gates said. "And that's what we attacked."

Each of the Tigers' first three transfer portal additions certainly line up with Gates' statement. First was Jaylen Carey, a rising senior who's spent the last two seasons in the Southeastern Conference between Vanderbilt and Tennessee. Carey has totaled over 400 rebounds in each of the last two seasons despite playing less than 20 minutes per game at both, and holds a bowling ball-esque stature of 6-foot-8, 267 pounds.

Jamier Joens — Feb 7, 2026; Providence, Rhode Island, USA; Providence Friars forward Jamier Jones (5) can't dunk the ball against the DePaul Blue Demons during the first half at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Then Missouri pivoted to the wing, adding standout Providence freshman Jamier Jones. Jones stands at 6-foot-6, 218 pounds and boasts his athleticism on every play. He made 54 dunks last season and averaged 0.9 steals per game, making his presence most felt in a fast-paced, transition setting. He's likely to start at the two-guard alongside Crowe, making up for the five-star point guard's lack of size in the backcourt.

Most recently, Missouri added former Kansas starter Bryson Tiller, who stands at 6-foot-11, 240 pounds and averaged 1.3 blocks in just 25.9 minutes per game. Between the big bodies of Tiller, Jones and Carey, it's easy to see where the emphasis was early on in the transfer portal cycle.

"That's what I attacked with Jamier Jones, Jaylen Carey and Bryson Tiller," Gates said. "Those guys have shoulders, hips, strength and natural physiques, and they play the game in a wedging way versus just a vertical way, or even a horizontal way from a guard standpoint."

The new trio of teammates aren't only here to help Crowe. Returning Tigers who have succeeded in previous seasons will now receive help in an area of weakness, allowing each member of the roster to maximize their strengths and patch each others weaknesses.

"When you look at 7-foot-5 Trent Burns and then even Trent Pierce, they're long, slender guys who I think will benefit with the wedging of their teammates," Gates aid. "If you're asking them to do something that they're not capable of doing, then you're putting your team in a risk of showing more weaknesses than strengths."

But at the crux of it all is still Missouri's incoming freshmen class, which is ranked No. 13 in the nation and No. 3 in the SEC, per 247sports. Crowe, Bryant and Chronister are pillars for the upcoming season and will look to help elevate the program to new heights.

"Everyone knows Jason Crowe, Toni Bryant and Aidan Chronister will do a great job of assimilating our newcomers into the culture with our returners and also portal," Gates said. "We're going to continue to do that, It just don't start when they're on campus, it starts well before. Those guys actually came here and saw some of their teammates play. They're basketball experts in their own right... I keep them communicated in a different way when it comes down to what we're building and who else their future teammates will be."

Missouri currently has 12 players on its roster, with plenty of time to make an additional two or three transfer portal pickups. It's safe to assume whichever players Gates adds next will be added with the same mindset the first three transfers were. Check out our offseason tracke r to keep up with every move the Tigers make.

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