Mizzou Center Trent Burns Set to Miss Time with Injury

The redshirt freshman missed all of last season with a similar injury.

Mar 19, 2025; Wichita, KS, USA; Missouri Tigers center Trent Burns (7) maneuvers around a trainer during a practice session at Intrust Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images | Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images

Missouri Tigers basketball center Trent Burns will miss time again this season after being diagnosed with a stress reaction in his right foot, the team announced in a release Thursday morning.

Burns underwent surgery Tuesday morning, causing him to miss at least the next six weeks of practice. After those six weeks, a return-to-play protocol will be made to determine a more precise timeline between 8-12 weeks. Missouri's season starts Nov. 3, which is just over seven weeks from the day of his surgery.

READ: The Important Role Trent Burns Can Play for Mizzou

The injury popped up for Burns in offseason preparation. The team decided surgery would be the best option for recovery.

"His health is our top priority and we know this will only be a small disruption in a great basketball career," head coach Dennis Gates said in the release. "We saw in the spring and summer how much of an impact he can have with our program and we look forward to his return to the court during our non-conference season.”

This is a similar injury to the one that sidelined Burns for all of his freshman season last year. He was cleared to return to the court from the injury in late February, but never appeared in a game.

Burns was rated as a four-star prospect and the 12th-best center in the class of 2024 out of Good Vision Academy in Houston. With his 7-foot-5 frame, Burns has the potential to be an elite shot blocker for Missouri. He averaged three blocks and seven rebounds per game in his final season of high school. Offensively, Burns poses a threat with his three-point shooting ability, clearing lanes for Missouri's drivers, such as forward Mark Mitchell.

Missouri's center room is losing Josh Gray and Peyton Marshall. In response to these departures, the Tigers added transfers Luke Northweather from Oklahoma, and Shawn Phillips Jr. from Arizona State.

Burns was one of five players brought in for the class of 2024. This offseason, two of those players — Marshall and forward Marcus Allen — entered the transfer portal. The most impactful of the group so far has been T.O. Barrett, who flashed his potential in Missouri's loss to Drake in Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament, recording two assists and four points in 10 minutes of playing time.

Missouri first hits the court Oct. 24 in an exhibition against Kansas State. A more precise timeline to return will come for Burns the same week of the exhibition.