When Jontay Porter committed to play basketball at Missouri, the only question left unanswered was whether he would re-classify to play in 2017-18.
Porter is in Atlanta, GA playing basketball at the Nike Peach Jam event. Gary Parrish of CBS Sports caught-up with Porter, and asked the question that’s been on media and fans’ minds, alike. Is that (re-classification) a safe assumption? Porter responded, “Yeah, for sure. That’s a safe assumption.”
At this point, I think Missouri fans have cause for celebration 2.0, since the only question left unanswered was Porter’s classification.
Once Porter wraps-up with his current obligation at Peach Jam, it’s probable that he will make an official announcement, but for now we can be content without a definitive announcement.
Missouri Tigers Basketball
It won’t be long now, and questions will crop up whether Porter will be a one-and-done player like his brother, Michael Porter, Jr., intends to be.
Also exciting, is how Missouri basketball is loaded with talent going into the 2017-18 season.
If Porter’s time at Mizzou is as a “one-and-done,” then we can be assured that the upcoming season will be quite exciting to watch, as the Tigers will make a serious run for the NCAA National Championship.
The more likely scenario is Porter will play at Missouri for more than a year, which will allow him to mature and develop his skill sets even further, which will allow the Tigers to reload in later seasons.
A quick recap of how this all came to be: Former basketball coach Kim Anderson was fired from the program following three abysmal seasons, and newly hired Athletic Director Jim Sterk hired Cuonzo Martin to be the Tiger’s next head coach.
At about the same time, head coach Lorenzo Romar was let go by Washington, where Michael Porter, Sr. was an assistant, and Michael Porter, Jr. and Jontay Porter had committed to play.
Martin offered Michael Porter, Sr. an assistant position in Columbia, which he accepted. Michael Porter, Jr. requested to withdraw his commitment letter, and couple days later announced his intent to sign with Missouri.
Not long after, Jontay Porter also requested to withdraw his letter of intent, and about a month later announced his decision to play along his brother at Missouri.
Next: Jontay Porter re-classified; now what?
Jontay Porter’s re-classification to play for Missouri in the fall gives the Tigers three top-40 national recruits, which also includes Jeremiah Tilmon, who flipped his commitment from Illinois to Missouri.