Recruitment has never really been an issue for head coach Dennis Gates, who just completed his third season at the helm of Mizzou, a season no doubt to remember. Even after subpar seasons, he's consistently able to add a few big names from the transfer portal.
The Tigers made quite the splash Monday morning when they landed star guard Sebastian Mack from the portal. Mack will be traveling far, as he last played for the UCLA Bruins this past season.
NEWS: Sebastian Mack will transfer to Missouri, he tells @TheAthleticCBB
— Tobias Bass (@tobias_bass) April 7, 2025
Mack averaged 9.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game last season at UCLA pic.twitter.com/X7PYNET2ks
The 6-foot-3 guard recently wrapped up his sophomore season, where he was one of, if not the best offensive player for a UCLA program that finished 23-11 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 7 seed. Though it was their first year in the Big Ten, the Bruins accumulated several key wins and remained competitive throughout the season.
Mack, a Chicago native, started all but three games as a freshman for UCLA, though he didn’t have much success. His efficiency wasn’t great, and he wasn’t playing in clutch minutes or trusted in big moments. He also averaged nearly two turnovers per game last season.
That changed this season when he was benched, starting just one of the 34 games he appeared in. His minutes decreased by almost 10 per game, but his efficiency saw a significant jump.
Mack shot 43% from the field and even began to develop a three-point shot, hitting over 31% from deep on about two attempts per game. He has some Caleb Grill vibes to him, as his best moments often come when he plays with the second unit. However, it's unclear if he'll start for Gates's program next year.
He averaged 10 points per game and added a couple of assists and rebounds as well. What was really impressive, though, was how he developed defensively.
Mack has found a way to create turnovers consistently while limiting his own, especially compared to last season. He averages a steal per game and isn't a bad defender, both on the perimeter and inside the paint, especially considering his size.
Coming out of the Class of 2023, 7Sports had Mack ranked as a 4-star prospect, good enough for 66th in the nation at the time. In high school, he was awarded Class 5A Player of the Year.
He’s had big moments and hit huge game-winners in his career, showing that he can be someone who cracks the rotation and plays in key moments for the Tigers next season.
A consistently good guard on both sides of the ball is something Mizzou could have really used last year, and they may have found that in Mack.
With this, the recruitment effort will continue, as Gates now has two remaining scholarship spots on his roster. He’ll do his best to keep adding to the program.