Mizzou hoops signs three in Early Signing Period
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Mizzou men's basketball officially signed three new players during the early signing period.
Jordan Butler, Trent Pierce, and Anthony Robinson II all put pen to paper on Wednesday. All three will join the program in the 2023-24 season as a part of the nation's No. 17 ranked class, according to 247Sports.
Butler will come to Columbia from Greenville, South Carolina. During his junior year at Christ Church Episcopal School, he averaged about 14 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks per game. The seven-foot center also helped lead the team to the program's first-ever state championship in 2021.
“His skill set is a perfect fit for our system as he has the ability to pass and make decisions, play on the perimeter, stretch the floor beyond the arc and also dominate in the pinch post area," Gates said in a press release. "During the recruiting process, we identified size as a target area and Jordan is one of the most skilled versatile forwards in the country. He has a tremendous pedigree and comes from a basketball family who fits with well within our culture."
Pierce is a four-star commit from Tulsa, Oklahoma, ranking 80th in ESPN's Top 100 players in the Class of 2023.
The 6-foot-10 wing averaged about 16 points and 11 rebounds through his junior season with Union High School. Pierce has transferred to AZ Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona, for his senior season.
“He is a tremendous high-character young man who is an intricate piece our AZ Compass program," Pierce's coach Ed Gipson said in a press release. "Trent has elite shooting ability and possesses an extremely high IQ for the game of basketball. His length at 6-foot-10 adds even more to his versatility, being able to guard multiple positions, while also initiating the offense. I truly look forward to watching Trent grace the floor at the University of Missouri.”
Finally, Robinson is a four-star point guard from the state of Florida. Along with Pierce, he also found himself in ESPN's Top 100 players.
Robinson was Gates' first commitment for the Class of 2023. He helped lead his high school team to a 3A state title in his junior season, averaging 15 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game.
"He really blossomed during the summer and continues to improve due to his strong work ethic. Anthony embodies our eight core values at Missouri and will fit well within our style of play as he showcases a very aggressive disposition on both ends of the floor," Gates said.
The top-20 class marks the second-straight ranked class for Gates as Mizzou head coach as he inked the nation’s No. 2 transfer class during the spring of 2022.
