Mizzou has its first commitment in the 2020 class. Jordan Wilmore, a 7-foot-2 big man from The Skill Factory in Atlanta, has committed to Cuonzo Martin and the Tigers, according to a post on his Instagram story. In another case of trademark Martin sneakiness, Wlmore’s recruiting developed quickly and largely under the radar. He was offered just 10 days ago and, as we reported Friday, the general thought was that if Wilmore had the option to commit on his visit this weekend, he would.
Apparently he had the option.
The Atlanta native had offers from Southern Utah and Jacksonville State, so Martin and his staff had little if any competition from Power 5 opponents. Wilmore is obviously raw from a skill perspective but does show some promising touch. A college strength and conditioning program will go a long way in his progression as a player. Wilmore has sheer size that can’t be taught and the Tigers’ coaching staff will hope to mold that size into a capable frontcourt contributor over the next few years.
Size is a huge need for Missouri in the 2020 class. Jeremiah Tilmon is very likely to depart to the NBA following his junior season and Reed Nikko will be lost to graduation. Mitchell Smith, Tray Jackson, and Kobe Brown make up the rest of the front-court, but all three are known much more for their perimeter prowess than the ability to patrol the paint. Ryan Kalkbrenner was likely Missouri’s top frontcourt target in the class, but he gave his pledge to Creighton last week.
The recruitment of Davion Bradford and John Hugley remain up in the air, though all indication is that the Tigers are and will remain involved. Murmurs have swirled that Bradford could end up taking a prep year, so that will be worth monitoring going forward. However, we do not believe the commitment of Wilmore will have much if any affect on the staff’s pursuit of Bradford and Hugley.
While it may not be the exciting start fans were hoping for, Wilmore gives Missouri a foundation to build upon in the 2020 class where they are still heavily in the mix to garner a fantastic class. Caleb Love is set to announce his commitment on Tuesday, it will be either Missouri or North Carolina. The Tar Heels are the heavy favorites in this case, but we won’t know for sure until Love announces a decision. Josh Christopher seemingly has months before an announcement, but Martin’s squad remains a top option for the nation’s 11th-ranked player.
