Dennis Gates gives offseason update on Kobe Brown, transfer portal and more
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Mizzou men's basketball head coach Dennis Gates met with the media Thursday afternoon to give an offseason update. Some of the main things that Gates touched on was the transfer portal, the new signees and Kobe Brown's future at Mizzou.
You can watch the full interview with Coach Gates below.
One of the big things Mizzou fans have been wondering since the season ended is if star forward Kobe Brown will be using his fifth year of eligibility in Columbia. Many mock NBA drafts have him projected to go in the second round and Gates said we won't truly know Brown's decision until after the NBA combine in May.
"He has to go through individual interviews with NBA organizations, pre-draft camp, maybe the G league pre-draft camp and we have to give him that time to access those results," Gates said. "Do I think Kobe Brown is a first round draft pick, absolutely. I hope he gets the feedback he needs to make the decision that's viable for him and his future."
Gates has already made two additions from the transfer portal so far this offseason in John Tonje from Colorado State and Curt Lewis from John A. Logan. In addition to that, Gates has lost two to the portal in forwards Mohamed Diarra and Ronnie DeGray.
"You have to protect yourself and now you have to recruit as if someone's going to leave and if you don't recruit that way you can be stuck with nothing," Gates said. "You have to assume that everyone's leaving therefore you're able to continue to build relationships in the recruiting world."
Gates also currently has three high school players are joining his 2023-24 team, but with the number of players in transfer portal reaching new heights recruiting the past few years have been different than what they may be in years to come.
"In the 2020 season, everyone was given an opportunity to have an extra year and that entire body of players will no longer be available. This is the last class of that," Gates said. "I think top of the transfer portal will go down and you'll have more guys coming from junior college and high school."
The full interview with Coach Gates can be found in the player above.
