Trio of men’s hoops signings lifts Mizzou Tigers’ 2023-24 recruiting ranking to 17th

The Missouri Tigers men’s basketball program announced the signing of three players Wednesday that bring Mizzou’s national recruiting ranking — the first full high school recruiting class under first-year head coach Dennis Gates — to No. 17 in the country, according to 247Sports.

The three players inked during the NCAA’s early signing period are center Jordan Butler from Greenville, South Carolina; small forward Trent Pierce of Tulsa, Oklahoma; and point guard Anthony Robinson II from Tallahassee, Florida.

All three are poised to join Gates’ program as freshmen next fall for the 2023-24 season.

This is Gates’ second top-20 class. He garnered the nation’s No. 2-ranked transfer class this spring. And that is already paying dividends. The 2022-23 season got underway Monday night at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, with the newcomer-laden Tigers beating Southern Indiana 97-91.

Here is a bit more about each of the three incoming players who have committed to donning the black and gold next season:

JORDAN BUTLER

Ranked sixth at his position by Rivals, Butler is a 7-foot four-star recruit who averaged 14.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game as a junior last season at Christ Church Episcopal School in Greenville, S.C.

He was recognized as all-state by the South Carolina Basketball Coaches’ Association and last year participated in a USA Men’s Junior National Team camp.

“We can’t wait to have Jordan Butler donning the Mizzou jersey and joining our family next season,” Gates said in a news release announcing Wednesday’s signings. “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.

“During the recruiting process, we identified size as a target area and Jordan is one of the most skilled versatile forwards in the country.”

Noted Christ Church Episcopal head coach John Butler: “Jordan is a special player who has both skill and size. He uses his unique ability to create major matchup problems.”

TRENT PIERCE

Another four-star Mizzou pledge, Pierce ranks 80th nationally in the ESPN 100, which further identifies him as the 19th-best small forward in the nation for the high school Class of 2023.

“Trent is one of the more versatile players we recruited and a welcome addition to the Mizzou family,” Gates said in the news release. “He has incredible length and as a wing, he can guard every position on the court.”

Added Gates of the 6-foot-10 Pierce: “great rim protector, rebounder and can really cover ground on the defensive end. He can also stretch the floor with his ability to connect from 3-point range and has a high basketball IQ. “

The 6-foot-10 wing averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds per game at Union High School last season and starred for his Team Griffin AAU squad. He transferred to AZ Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona, for this, his senior season of high school hoops.

“Trent Pierce is every coach’s dream,” said AZ Compass Prep coach Ed Gipson. “... Trent has elite shooting ability and possesses an extremely high IQ for the game of basketball.”

ANTHONY ROBINSON II

Robinson is a 6-3, four-star point guard who is generally rated among the top 20 in the country at his position. He ranks among the top 100 players nationally overall in the Class of 2023, according to Rivals.

Robinson led Florida State University High School to Florida’s 3A state title last season, averaging 15.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game as a junior while shooting 56% from the field. He also plays for the Georgia Stars AAU program.

“Anthony was our first commit in the Class of 2023 and one we are really looking forward to working with,” Gates said. “He really blossomed during the summer and continues to improve due to his strong work ethic. ... He is a versatile and aggressive player who is a three-level scorer with a defensive mindset.”

Florida State High School head coach Charlie Ward, the former FSU Seminoles standout, said of Robinson: He “has grown as a leader and his ability to affect the game with his playmaking ability is next level.”