Busting Brackets
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Missouri Basketball: 3 key questions facing the Tigers in 2018-19

By TJ Miller

COLUMBIA, MO - DECEMBER 05: Head coach Cuonzo Martin of the Missouri Tigers coaches from the bench during the game against the Miami (Oh) Redhawks at Mizzou Arena on December 5, 2017 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, MO - DECEMBER 05: Head coach Cuonzo Martin of the Missouri Tigers coaches from the bench during the game against the Miami (Oh) Redhawks at Mizzou Arena on December 5, 2017 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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ST LOUIS, MO – MARCH 08: Jontay Porter #11 of the Missouri Tigers dribbles the ball against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second round of the 2018 SEC Basketball Tournament at Scottrade Center on March 8, 2018 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
ST LOUIS, MO – MARCH 08: Jontay Porter #11 of the Missouri Tigers dribbles the ball against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second round of the 2018 SEC Basketball Tournament at Scottrade Center on March 8, 2018 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

1. Just how good is Jontay Porter?

It’s crazy Jontay Porter was considered by many to be a mid to late first round draft pick considering he spent the majority of the year coming off the bench as the 6th man. But, anyone paying attention could easily see there’s bundles of talent in Jontay’s game.

Here are Jontay Porter’s 2017-18 stats:

9.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.7 blocks.

Not bad, right? But Jontay tallied this while only averaging 24.5 minutes a game. Take a look at his stats per 40 minutes:

16.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.7 blocks.

Impressive, huh? He also shot better than 36% (40/110) from beyond the arc. It’s good-looking numbers across the board, especially considering he skipped his senior year of high school and will enter the 2018-19 season still as an 18-year-old.

Numbers aside, Jontay possesses rare abilities for a 6’11 player. Sure, there are players with his mobility and nice shooting touch. What sets Jontay apart, though, is his vision and intelligence as a player. In watching the Tigers this past season, I couldn’t believe the passes this kid would make. Passing is all about timing, and Porter had a way of making the right pass at the right time.

There’s simply not much Jontay can’t do. Expect Cuonzo to utilize him in all sorts of ways this next season. A much larger spotlight will be cast on Porter for 2018-19. I can’t wait to see what kind of show he puts on.

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