Web Extra: Former Kansas forward breaks down his commitment to Mizzou
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Former Kansas forward Bryson Tiller is the third player from the transfer portal to commit to Mizzou men's basketball coach Dennis Gates, this offseason. On Thursday, he talked to ABC 17 Sports Director Nathalie Jones about his decision.
The 6-foot-11 forward said his connection with Coach Gates really stood out, among other things.
"I like their style of play, five out, they have great spacing and great length, as well," he said. "[Coach Gates] showed me guys like Mark Mitchell and Kobe Brown, just the things that they do, I can easily see myself doing, so I'm just really excited to get there."
You can watch the full interview with Tiller in the video player below.
Of course, Tiller will get the rare experience of experiencing the oldest rivalry west of the Mississippi from both sides. He said when the Tigers face the Jayhawks in the 2026-27 campaign, he's just hoping to get a win, as he does with every matchup. However, he said he'll definitely be ready for that game.
The Atlanta, Georgia native believes his style of play will fit well into the Tigers' system. He's coming off of a redshirt freshman season where he averaged 7.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.3 blocks per game through 31 starts, this past season.
"Just to stay levelheaded, stay confident. You know, make the most of the opportunities that I got and I feel like a lot of that stuff will definitely help me learn and become a better player in Missouri," Tiller said, when asked about what the biggest lesson he learned in his redshirt freshman season was. "I'm a versatile forward, who can play multiple positions, offensively and defensively, and makes a very big impact on the floor. [I'm just] an an overall leader."
Tiller will come to Columbia along with former Tennessee forward Jaylen Carey and former Providence forward Jamier Jones, as well a standout freshman class. That incoming unit is headlined by five-star guard Jason Crowe Jr.
Although the team hasn't gotten together on campus, quite yet, Tiller believes there is a ton of potential.
"[We can be] very good. We had all the talent, a lot of depth and lot of length, which I feel like is very important in today's college game. We'll be able to space the floor well. So I'm ready for it," he said.
