What Sebastian Mack Will Bring to the Table for Mizzou

The most recent transfer addition for the Tigers should fit nicely based on what he put on display for the UCLA Bruins.

Mar 20, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Sebastian Mack (12) shoots the ball against Utah State Aggies forward Karson Templin (22) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

In a Missouri Tigers transfer portal class that appears weak to some, UCLA guard Sebastian Mack is the crown jewel.

After announcing his commitment on Monday, Mack became the first guard to transfer into the class, filling a huge hole left by the departures of Tamar Bates, Tony Perkins, Caleb Grill, Marques Warrick and others.

Now, it looks like Mack is primed to follow and fit into the same role that Perkins filled in one year in Columbia.

It's almost freaky how similar their seasons were during the 2024-25 campaign. They play similar styles of basketball so it makes sense that the statistical profiles would be the same, but it's striking how nearly identical the two are. Below are both Mack and Perkins' stats from last season.

Tony Perkins (Missouri, 2024-25)	Sebastian Mack (UCLA, 2024-25)
PPG: 8.7	PPG: 9.6
RPG: 2.5	RPG: 2.1
APG: 2.5	APG: 1.7
SPG: 1.1	SPG: 0.9
FG%: 47.9	FG%: 42.6
3P%: 30.9	3P%: 31.4%

Mack himself is a very skilled offensive player. As seen above, his perimeter shooting rate isn't the most efficient compared to other combo guards, but he doesn't exactly need it. Most of his scoring production comes from getting downhill and attacking the rim, where is arguably one of the best in the country at doing so.

Only 30% of Mack's field goals per game came from the perimeter and he was seventh on his team last year in total three-point attempts. To some that may be concerning, which to an extent it is, but a player that knows his role on offense sure doesn't hurt. That doesn't mean Mack won't shoot from the outside, but he isn't hunting those shots.

The flip side of Mack's three-point struggles is that he could be a liability in those spots. He's joining a team that lost essentially all of their best 3-point shooters and Mack doesn't exactly move the needle in that area. It's possible that he takes a minor jump as he did from his freshman to sophomore season, but perimeter shooting isn't a strong suit of Missouri's newest addition.

That being said, Mack can be hard to stop moving toward the hoop. His 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame is a key factor in his efficiency around the rim, having the ability to move defenders out of his way and create separation that way, but Mack's first step is beyond impressive. Mack is ridiculously fast off the dribble when going at the rim and that's when he's most dangerous on offense.


He can also finish in a variety of creative ways. Again, his power is a key contributor to that, because he can absorb contact from just about anybody. He played a season in the PAC-12 and a season in the Big 10, so he does have experience with physical basketball players. It showed this last season and should only improve with a year in the SEC.

It's also worth mentioning that his physical traits are a huge help on defense. He has the speed to stick with quicker point guards but is strong enough to body up forwards. It showed in the Big 10, having to defend players like Myles Rice from Indiana, Ace Baldwin Jr. from Penn State and Wesley Yates of USC. None of them are easy to defend and Mack held his own, showing he can hang with the best.

Mar 14, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Sebastian Mack (12)shoots the ball while Wisconsin Badgers guard Jack Janicki (33) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Outside of his perimeter shooting, there are a few areas of concern on offense for Mack. He gets a little stagnant at times, not moving around to get either himself or his teammates open. It creates a small dilemma since he isn't known as a perimeter shooter and needs the ball in his hands to be at his best. It would still be nice to see him move more off the ball, however.

With his ability to attack the rim and finish creatively comes some bad shot selection, on occasion. It's where he thrives and it's not like he can make each shot he attempts, but once he digs himself that hole of getting into the lane, the shot normally goes up. It makes for some bad shot attempts from Mack, which couldn't hurt to be improved.

As it stands now, Mack is going to have a vital role on this team next season. Alongside point guard Anthony Robinson II, the Tigers will have an athletic, powerful frontcourt that can attack the rim. With improvements to his perimeter shooting and some consistency in his shot selection, Mack should fit just fine with Dennis Gates and the Tigers.