Missouri Named Finalist for 4-Star Center Tristan Reed

Dennis Gates and the Tigers' basketball staff could be closing in on another elite prospect for the 2026 class.

2026 4-Star Center Tristan Reed during his official visit to Columbia | Credit @_.tristanreed on Instagram

While Eli Drinkwitz and the Missouri football staff are in the midst of one of their best recruiting runs in recent memory, Dennis Gates and the basketball staff are staying just as active on the trail themselves.

This week, the Tigers were named as a finalist for one of the top center prospects in the 2026 class, 4-Star Tristan Reed, according to Joe Tipton of Rivals.

4⭐️ Tristan Reed is down to five schools, he tells @Rivals:

Michigan State
Ohio State
Mississippi State
Missouri
Maryland

The 6-9 center is a top-85 recruit in the 2026 class. https://t.co/UFkVOWUZuO pic.twitter.com/HZxINv4z7v

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) October 14, 2025

He listed Missouri among Michigan State, Ohio State, Maryland and Mississippi State. Reed took a visit to Columbia on August 25, but has also made stops at his other finalists as well. He made the trip to Mississippi State on September 5, Ohio State on September 12, Michigan State on September 20 and Maryland on October 3.

Standing at 6-foot-9, 230 lbs., Reed may lack a bit of the outright size that many view as necessary to play the position, but he makes up for it with athleticism and power. He is a dominant force in the paint, using his bulky frame to both grab rebounds and earn put back opportunities at the basket.

He currently suits up for Link Academy in Branson, Missouri, one of the top basketball programs in the nation. The school has produced dozens of division one talents, and even some NBA Draft picks such as Jordan Walsh (2023) and Ja'Kobe Walker (2024).

As of now, Missouri holds the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation, according to 247Sports' composite ranking. If the Tigers were able to land the likes of Reed, it would not only bolster an already strong group, but would widen Missouri's gap with the rest of the country on the recruiting trail.

After a somewhat disappointing haul in the 2025 cycle, landing just two commits who both ranked outside of the top-150 prospects in the nation, Gates and the Tigers' staff have seemingly revamped their approach for the upcoming class, and their efforts look to be paying off.

2026 Missouri Basketball Commits

1. CG Jason Crowe, Jr., 6-foot-3, 170 lbs. - Inglewood, California (Committed 07/18/2025)
2. PF Toni Bryant, 6-foot-9, 215 lbs. - Zephyrhills, Florida (Committed 09/08/2025)
3. SG Aidan Chonister, 6-foot-7, 180 lbs. - Fayetteville, Arkansas (Committed 09/21/2025)

2025 Missouri Basketball Commits

1. 4-Star PG Aaron Rowe, 6-foot, 155 lbs. - Columbia, Missouri (Signed 11/13/2024)
2. 3-Star PF Nicholas Randall, 6-foot-7, 225 lbs. - Chandler, Arizona (Signed 11/13/2024)