Missouri Tigers officially sign five basketball players. A look at the hoops newcomers
No drama. Five for five.
All of the players who were verbally committed to Mizzou men’s basketball’s Class of 2024 made their decisions official Wednesday, the first day of basketball’s early signing period, by signing their national letters of intent.
Missouri’s next recruiting class currently ranks No. 2 in the nation — down a spot from about a month ago, when Duke leaped into the top spot — and as the best in program history.
The Tigers also are still waiting on a decision from Jayden Quaintance, a five-star center out of North Carolina and the No. 11-ranked player in his class, per Rivals’ ratings.
Quaintance, 16, recently cut the list of school he’s considering down to four, with Mizzou, Florida, Kentucky and Ohio State still in the running. The final day of the early signing period is Wednesday, Nov. 15. The regular signing period begins in mid-April.
But Dennis Gates’ Missouri team, which opened its season with a win Monday, has landed five freshmen in the 2024 cycle.
Here’s a look at who the Tigers are getting:
Peyton Marshall
Peyton Marshall, a 7-foot center out of Marietta, Georgia, was the first future Tiger to put pen to paper Wednesday.
Previously pledged to Auburn, Marshall, a St. Louis native, verbally reopened his recruitment before committing to the Tigers in August. He’s one of two centers in Gates’ next class.
Listed at 300 pounds, Marshall carries the No. 99 ranking in his class, and No. 13 among big men, per Rivals. And he’s coming with high praise from his next head coach.
“Peyton is the best passer in the 2024 class, regardless of position and school,” Gates said in a news release. “His court vision and his ability to quarterback the team for his size is unmatched.”
Trent Burns
The Tigers doubled down on 7-footers.
Burns, a 7-foot-3 Houston native, is rated as the No. 65 player in his class and No. 18 at center. He signed in early October, with the Tigers beating the likes of Purdue to the punch.
With true freshman Jordan Butler currently on the roster, Missouri is set to carry three 7-foot underclassmen into next season. That would make four in total: Mabor Majak is still eligible to play next year.
“The combination of shooting and shot-blocking at Trent’s height is not something easy to find,” Gates said. “He fits our system and our five-out offense that we want to run perfectly.”
T.O. Barrett
Antonio “T.O.” Barrett is a four-star prospect now based within the state’s borders, playing his high school hoops for Link Academy in Branson.
The 6-5 guard is originally from Oklahoma, where he led Edmond North to a pair of high school state titles.
He was the first commit to the Tigers’ Class of 2024, verbally announcing his decision in late June. Per a Missouri news release, he averaged 15.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game en route to all-state honors last season.
“T.O. is a player that really fits in our program well ...” Gates said. “He has great size for his position plus a tremendous basketball IQ with elite decision-making skills and versatility.”
Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen had college offers from all over, and the Tigers had to beat out his hometown school, Miami, to land the four-star forward.
Allen, listed at 6-7, is rated as the No. 64 player in the nation on Rivals and No. 39 per On3.
The Tigers tout him as a elite defender. He spent a season at AZ Compass Prep in Arizona, where he reached the GEICO National Championship game last season.
Noted Gates: “He has a unique build and size for his position — with measurables of a 6-11 wingspan and a hand size of 10.5 — that make him a strong college and pro prospect. His defensive IQ is elite and will be an anchor for us on that end of the court.”
Annor Boateng
Rounding out the Tigers’ signees is their top-rated recruit, Annor Boateng.
The 6-5 four-star shooting guard out of Little Rock, Arkansas, verbally committed to the Tigers in late September, becoming the highest-rated MU pledge since Michael Porter Jr.
Rivals.com rates Boateng, the Gatorade Arkansas Basketball Player of the Year, as the No. 26 player in the nation. As a junior, he averaged 15.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.4 blocks per game, per MU.
“Annor Boateng is an outstanding player and person on and off the court ...” Gates said. “One of the most complete guards in the country and a playmaker on both ends of the floor, Annor is physically gifted and a three-level scorer who excels in multiple facets of the game.”
The Star has partnered with the Columbia Daily Tribune for coverage of Missouri Tigers athletics.
