And things continue to get better and better for Missouri basketball fans.
After racking up the No. 6 class in the 2017 recruiting rankings, Cuonzo Martin has landed another top prospect.
Of course, that top prospect happens to be the brother of Michael Porter Jr.
Jontay Porter – a 6-foot-9 power forward that ranks as the No. 27 player in the 2018 class – officially announced his intentions to play his college ball in Columbia.
After much thought and prayer I have decided to commit to the University of Missouri!? pic.twitter.com/dO1LKYR3iX
— Jontay Porter (@JontayPorter) May 23, 2017
It’s still unknown whether Porter will remain in the 2018 class, or reclassify into the 2017 class.
Lovell’s Analysis:
(5/23 update: Since a reader misconstrued the below analysis and thought I was accusing Missouri of cheating, I’ve added the specifics of my initial reference in the opening sentence so that there is zero confusion.)
Some people – a.k.a. uninformed fans of other teams – have replied on social media posts that Mizzou’s complete change in fortunes is a sign of cheating or something similar.
That’s just silly, but par for the course on social media these days.
This recent upswing in recruiting – most notably the addition of the Porter brothers – isn’t hard to figure out.
Their dad, Michael Porter Sr., is an assistant coach. These two exceptionally talented players want to play for their dad.
There isn’t much more to the story other than that.
As for Jontay’s commitment, it’s a big deal. Obviously, if he reclassifies into the 2017 class, we could suddenly be talking about the Tigers as a lock to make the NCAA Tournament.
Even if he stays in the 2018 class, he’s going to be an impact player as soon as he steps on the floor next season.
Either way, this Missouri program has come a long way from setting an SEC record with three straight seasons of 20 or more losses.
Something tells me that record won’t be extended this season.