That afternoon, another tall fellow roamed the sideline, though he wasn’t really recognized by many. His name was Toni Bryant.
But on Monday, when the Florida high school senior Bryant agreed to play basketball for Mizzou next season, he became the third-highest-rated recruit ever to choose Mizzou.
The second-highest-rated recruit? That’s Jason Crowe Jr. — another high school senior who will play with Bryant in Columbia beginning in 2026-27.
This is an extraordinary development — perhaps the biggest thing to happen to Dennis Gates’ program (though beating No. 1 Kansas last year sure was something). Both players are five-star recruits, per ESPN and composite ratings.