Mizzou’s Bryson Tiller ‘extremely ready’ for Border War after transfer from KU
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Bryson Tiller expects boos during the 2026-27 Border War game.
- Tiller chose Dennis Gates’ Mizzou program over Michigan, Arizona and Miami.
- Tiller averaged 7.9 points and 6.1 rebounds and had 45 total blocks in 2025-26 for KU.
Bryson Tiller, who Thursday announced plans to transfer to Missouri after spending a year and a half at rival Kansas, realizes he figures to hear some boos during the Border War matchup in the 2026-27 nonconference season at T-Mobile Center.
“I’m extremely ready. I’m going to embrace it. I’m with the Mizzou Tigers, so I’m excited to win. I’m excited to play with my teammates and I’m excited to dominate overall,” Tiller, a 6-foot-11, 240-pound sophomore-to-be said Thursday in announcing his transfer to MU on the Field of 68 podcast.
He chose coach Dennis Gates’ program over Michigan, Arizona and Miami.
“(He’s a) stand-up guy for sure. That definitely stands out first and foremost, and just the plan that he had for me. He was real honest with me, my dad and my family,” Tiller said of Gates.
“He’s been recruiting me since I was a freshman in high school, so we definitely had a good relationship and I trust in him and the University of Missouri to do what needs to be done to win and to get to the next level,” Tiller added.
Tiller, who arrived at KU from the Overtime Elite program second semester of the 2024-25 season, averaged 7.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in 2025-26, his first full season at KU. He was second on the KU team in blocked shots with 45.
“It was just honesty,” Tiller said of his talks with Gates since he entered the portal 10 days ago. “He had a player in the past who was able to do some of the things that I’m also able to do.”
That player was Mark Mitchell, a KC native who averaged 18.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists last year for the Tigers.
“Just from recruiting me for a long time, I trust in him as a person first and foremost, and I trust in the plan that he has,” Tiller continued of Gates. “He wants to use me in all assets and all facets of the court — on the wings, on the perimeter, inside, outside. So I just feel like I have a lot of trust in that plan, and it’ll be great.”
Of the Mitchell comparison, Tiller said: “I feel like I can do a lot of things Mark does or does and more, but I just want to be able to express myself freely on the court, play with a lot of energy, a lot of passion. And I feel like Missouri is the place to do (so).”
Asked what he’d tell MU fans about his game, Tiller said he’s “a very versatile player who can do a lot of things on the court. I can shoot, pass, dribble, rebound, defend and overall just a leader. I just want to lead my team to success. And I feel like if I’m playing well, then it’s going to take a lot to stop us.”
Tiller said this is an important offseason for his development.
“I feel like with this upcoming offseason, the work that we’re going to put in is definitely going to pay off and I’m just going to be able to play freely, play my game at Missouri under coach Gates,” Tiller said. “I’m extremely excited for it. It’s going to be a great opportunity. I’m going to make the most of it for sure.”
