The revitalization of the Missouri basketball got another strong push this week when four-star forward Jontay Porter committed to the Tigers.
Porter is currently 27th in the 2018 class, according to 247Sports' composite, but he is still undecided on whether he will reclassify and join Mizzou in 2017.
Advertisement
“College is a big step and I don’t want to rush life too much, so I’ve just got to make sure I’m willing to do that and then I’ll go through it without any doubt,” Porter said, via kansascity.com.
Porter is in a great position to play in competitions like the McDonald's All-American game and the Jordan Brand Classic next year, which are things he would have to give up should he decide to reclassify.
“Unless I’m wholeheartedly willing to give up all those things, then I’m probably going to stay in high school,” he said. “I’m willing to give up most of those things, but we’ll see. I’ve just got to think about it more.”
A possibly big turning point in favor Porter reclassifying would be the opportunity to play alongside his brother in college. Michael Porter Jr., the top-ranked player in the 2017 class, joined Missouri after decommitting from Washington. He will almost certainly be a one-and-done.
Jontay Porter also decommitted from Washington after they fired coach Lorenzo Romar earlier this year. Michael Porter Sr. was an assistant at Washington, but he is now an assistant coach at Missouri under newly hired Cuonzo Martin.
Missouri finished last in the SEC at 8-24 last year, but they will be much-improved moving forward. In addition to securing the Porter brothers, the Tigers also received commitments from 2017 standouts Jeremiah Tilmon (6-10, four-star forward) and Blake Harris (6-3, four-star point guard).
The new age in college basketball can lead to unpredictable recruiting. Missouri appears to be one of the greatest beneficiaries in the immediate future.
