How Dennis Gates Wants Annor Boateng to Step Up After Benching

It's been a rocky start to the season for Missouri sophomore guard Annor Boateng.

He started out the year by shining in an exhibition game against Kansas State, scoring 15 points, and also recording two steals and two assists. He then missed the first five games of the season with an injury.

After coming off the bench for his first five games back from injury, Boateng was then slotted into the starting lineup against Kansas. He'd go on to start four games in the month of December. There was some good moments as a starter for Boateng, like when he grabbed four rebounds against Bethune-Cookman.

There were also some noticeably poor moments, like when he shot 1 for 7 against Kansas. Those issues became impossible to ignore in Missouri's 91-48 loss to then-No. 20 Illinois when Boateng missed each of his first five shot attempts and was called for two personal fouls in 15 minutes.

The performance against Illinois caused Boateng to be removed from the lineup entirely in Missouri's upset victory over then-No. 22 Florida on Sunday. The upset win was a huge step in the right direction for the Tigers after losing all three of their power-conference matchups in December. But it was just the first of a long SEC road slate where the Tigers will need to make up for a poor non-conference slate. Missouri will need to continue to see its roster develop throughout the season.

Boateng, who was rated by 247Sports as the No. 26 prospect in the class of 2025, is a key candidate to do that if he can find his groove and take steps forward.

"There's different guys that I need to step up, Annor Boateng being one of them," head coach Dennis Gates said in a virtual press conference Tuesday. "Ultimately, I just believe he is a difference maker for us, as long as he's using his instincts and not trying to be perfect. Sometimes kids just try to be too perfect and Annor Boateng has been trying to be too perfect. I just need him to go out and take the risk and then you'll see the rewards."

The need to play with instincts and not be a perfectionist in the moment is something Gates preached earlier this season for guard Anthony Robinson II.

Robinson was being billed as a potential NBA-draft pick ahead of the season, but had a rough stretch in non-conference play. Through a four-game stretch ending with the game against Kansas, Robinson shot a combined 24.8% from the field and gave up an average of 2.5 turnovers per game.

But near the end of non-conference play, Robinson steadied himself to deliver performances of 19 points and five assists against Alabama State, then 15 points and seven assists against Bethune-Cookman, an improvement Gates largely attributed to Robinson getting back to playing with his instincts.

That carried into Missouri's win over Florida, where Robinson led the Tigers in both points (19) and rebounds (eight).

Boateng wants to see Robinson's career development, along with those of forward Trent Pierce and forward Mark Mitchell, as an example of needing to be patient with development and not trying to be perfect, leading to second guessing on the court. All three of those examples, like Boateng, came out of high school with high expectations surrounding them.

Mitchell was a five-star prospect out of high school, being rated as the No. 13 prospect in the 2022 class, according to 247Sports' rankings. Out of the top 15 in the class, Mitchell is one of just two players to have spent all four years in college instead of going to the NBA early.

Nov. 8, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri guard Mark Mitchell (25) makes a drive towards the basket against the Howard Bison.. | Amber Winkler/MissouriOnSI

"Just because you're a McDonald's all American and and a four-year guy, and you're not a one-and-done or two-and-done, doesn't mean you're a failure," Gates said. "It just means you've been able to adjust get better. Mark Mitchell is a great college player, and he'll be a great professional player as well, in the NBA."

Mitchell transferred to Missouri after two years as a starter at Duke. His averages in both points and assists have improved steadily each season.

Boateng started in seven games in his true freshman season, dealing with an injury early through that season too.

Through those injuries and the struggles that led to the benching, Gates is hoping Boateng can stay the course on his necessary development.

"The growth of Mark Mitchell's career kind of can give Annor a pathway to get to as a highly-touted recruit, but also a kid that is going to continue to get better," Gates said. "Now, it doesn't help that he's been injured early on in his career, but he's fighting through those things, and he's doing a great job."

Read more Missouri Tigers news: