11. Missouri Tigers
Frontcourt players: Jeremiah Tilmon, Reed Nikko, Mitchell Smith, Kevin Puryear, Jontay Porter, and KJ Santos
Although the Tigers won’t have the freshman phenom Michael Porter Jr., his brother may ultimately be the real gold find for the program. He averaged 16.1 ppg and 11.1 rpg per 40 minutes as a freshman off the bench and really came into his own down the stretch. He had scoring totals of 24,19 and 20 at the very end of the season while shooting well from three-point range. Jontay may end up being a lottery pick himself if things go very well, as his skill set and measurables already make his a good prospect.
Puryear is a three-year starter who took a step back when the Porters arrived last season, scoring under 11.5 ppg for the first time. His overall efficiency and production were still solid, with him being part of a winning program finally. His senior leadership will be important while gaining back the touches he lost as he stepped aside for the betterment of the team.
One player with breakout potential is Tilmon, a former top-100 recruit who started as the team’s freshman center. His per 40-minute averages were 16.9 ppg and 8.6 rpg on 56% shooting. He nearly fouled out in almost every game (mostly kidding) and his defense needs work as well. Still, the 6’10 and 250-pound center has big-time potential himself. Throw in former Illinois-Chicago forward KJ Santos (7.1 ppg and 4.2 rpg as a freshman in 2016-17) and Missouri’s frontcourt will surprise people in how formidable they are as a group.