Mizzou Basketball Roster Breakdown: Transfer Fits

The Missouri Tigers spent their offseason focused on player retention and internal development, keeping core pieces like Anthony Robinson, Mark Mitchell and Trent Pierce around for the upcoming season. Even so, the program still parted ways with 11 players – be it expiring eligibility, the transfer portal or the NBA.

Given the open roster spots, Dennis Gates and the Tigers recruited an impressive transfer class to round out the his roster – bringing in five experienced players to help the Tigers compete.

A dive into the role that each of those transfers may play:

Sebastian Mack, G, UCLA

Mack spent his first two collegiate seasons at UCLA, where he split lead guard duties in his freshman campaign before playing the role of sixth man in 2024-2025. He'll have an opportunity to start in the backcourt for the Tigers, and fill the void left by combo guards Tamar Bates and Tony Perkins as capable ball-handlers.

Mack immediately becomes one of the Tigers stronger on-ball scorers, showcasing his ability to push the pace and attack the rim with aggression during his time with the Bruins. The 6-foot-3 guard will likely become a top scoring option for the Tigers, taking on large offensive responsibilities.

As for the defensive side of the ball, he'll join a talented group of guard defenders, combining to make a fear-striking trio of himself, Robinson and T.O. Barrett that can wreak havoc on opposing ball-handlers.

Shawn Phillips Jr., C, Arizona State

Phillips transferred out of Arizona State and made his way to the SEC by joining the Tigers new look squad, and will be a strong contender for the starting center spot. He'll replace Josh Gray, who started nearly half his games with Missouri last season, and can act as the Tigers' lone traditional center.

However, it's unlikely Phillips eclipses roughly 20 minutes per game, as he's struggled with foul trouble throughout his career – averaging 3 fouls in just 17.9 minutes per game last season, and now joins an even more physical conference in the SEC.

Despite this, it's easy to see how Phillips can help out the Tigers as an athletic, mobile and rim-protecting big to anchor the teams interior defense. He'll be a solid pick-and-roll partner for Robinson and Mack, and projects to be an efficient finisher around the rim.

Jevon Porter, F, Loyola Marymount

The Columbia native transferred to Missouri after spending the first three season of his career with Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount, and is now facing by far the best competition of his career. Last season, he averaged 12.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game while holding 39.4 / 31.6 / 68.1 shooting splits.

It'll be hard for the rising senior to maintain those numbers with the Tigers, but he could still play a similar role. Porter's a sizable forward, standing at 6-foot-11, 235 pounds, and can put the ball on the floor while defending multiple positions. His shooting has been streaky at best, but has certainly been willing to expand his game throughout his career.

He's one of three real combo-forwards on the roster –joining Mitchell and Pierce– so it's easy to see where he can earn minutes at. At worst case scenario, he's a body to throw out on defense who can run in transition and occasionally knock down the open three. Best case, Porter turns into a real candidate to start at the forward, continuing his family's legacy with the program.

Jayden Stone, G, West Virginia

Stone never actually suited up for West Virginia, missing the entire 2024-2025 campaign with an undisclosed injury. Prior to his time with the Mountaineers, he had an impressive two season run with Detroit Mercy, where he held career averages of 18.6 points per game on 43.8 / 35.4 / 80.8 shooting splits.

His 3-point shot varied dramatically between his two seasons, as he shot 51.9 percent from deep in 2023-2024, befor dropping to 31.2 in 2024-2025. His arrival to Missouri is extremely similar to last seasons addition of Marques Warrick, who averaged almost 20 points per game with Northern Kentucky before scaling down to a spark-plug role with the Tigers.

Similar to Warrick, Stone can be a fun scoring option off the bench for Missouri, providing some instant offense whenever the team stalls out. There'll likely be a few games throughout the season when Stone reverts back to his Detroit Mercy form, exploding for a high-scoring outing. However, for the most part, expect Stone to be a contributing role player – not a top option.

Luke Northweather, F, Oklahoma

Northweather probably plays the smallest role among the new bunch, as the rising junior played just 11.3 minutes per game with Oklahoma last season. He adds an interesting fold to the frontcourt with an ability to space the floor better than any other Tiger big, shooting 34 percent from 3-point range last season.

However, he's not a true rim protector, and will need to share the court with another big, limited defensive versatility of lineups he's involved in. While Northweather is nearly a polar opposite player of former Tiger Aidan Shaw, he'll play a similar role as a situational and spot-minute big, who could be a spark plug in the right setting.