Mizzou keeps 2025 point guard Aaron Rowe at home
Aaron Rowe has been a household name around basketball circles in Columbia, Mo. for quite a few years. On Tuesday afternoon, he let everyone know that's going to continue for a few more years. The 2025 Father Tolton point guard committed to the hometown Tigers over Kansas State and Tennessee.
"I was ready to commit so I could be the first person in my class to commit to Mizzou," Rowe told PowerMizzou.com. "I already knew it was going to be Mizzou so I might as well get it out of the way."
Rowe has been a hot commodity since his freshman year at Tolton. He was a quick offer for Dennis Gates when Gates took the Mizzou job in March of 2022 and the Columbia native quickly formed a bond with the Tigers' new coaching staff.
"Coach Gates has done a lot to the program," Rowe said. "They started winning, started bringing a lot of fans to the games. I feel like Coach Gates has done a lot to build the program and he's still doing that with one of the best recruiting classes for 2024 this upcoming year."
Rowe spent his sophomore season at Link Prep in Branson, but moved back to Columbia last month and will play his final year-and-a-half back at Tolton. He said going to Link was one of the best decisions he has made and gave him a taste of playing against elite competition day in and day out, but returning home and taking an official visit two weeks ago sealed the deal for the nation's No. 25 overall prospect.
"I always watched Mizzou because my mom always watches Mizzou. I wouldn't say I wasn't the biggest fan, but I always watched them and I was cool with their players," Rowe said. "I'd say when I started to move back to Columbia, I think that's when I really just felt like this was home and I would stay here."
Rowe says the biggest improvement he wants to make during the rest of his time in high school is his outside shooting.
"I feel like my biggest strength is my playmaking," he said. "I can get my shot whenever and I feel like I'm really fast."
With his decision out of the way, Rowe will now turn his attention to convincing other top prospects they should make his hometown their own hometown in college.
"I've already been hitting up a couple other players trying to get them to see the vision," Rowe said. "Of course I'm going to be recruiting in my class."
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