Tilmon's return bolsters Mizzou's seasoned core

Missouri's Jeremiah Tilmon looks to pass during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Illinois Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in St. Louis. Missouri won 63-56. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)COLUMBIA, Mo. — There was never a great chance Missouri’s Jeremiah Tilmon would become a serious NBA prospect this summer, especially once the NBA’s evaluation process was crippled by the the coronavirus. But Cuonzo Martin knows just how Tilmon can position himself for a place in the league: Play his way into the 2021 draft.

“We spent a lot of time talking this summer,” Martin said Friday on Zoom. “Jeremiah is as talented as any at that (center) position. But I think for him, growth and composure…