Mizzou Tigers seniors can return, but Cuonzo Martin tells them ‘it’s time to live life’
Every senior college student-athlete has an additional year of eligibility awaiting courtesy of the NCAA in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the Missouri men’s basketball team, that means five players who will suit up on Saturday for their final home game, against LSU, could return.
But Tigers coach Cuonzo Martin wants those players — Jeremiah Tilmon, Dru Smith, Mark Smith, Mitchell Smith and Drew Buggs — to seriously consider not returning.
“It’s four plus years, it’s time to live life,” Martin said Friday.
That was part of a response Martin provided when asked about any conversation he’s had with players on this subject. The coach has high aspirations for his players.
“I’m hopeful these can play in the NBA or CEOs of their own companies,” Martin said. “That’s the goal. Now, if someone said, “Coach I want to (return), we would talk through it. Not that I would tell any of them no, but we would talk through why.
“That would be my biggest question, why. It’s the same question I’d ask of my own sons. What’s the benefit of doing it? You have to tell me.”
Working toward an advanced degree, that would be different, Martin said.
“But just to come back to be a part of a college campus, nice campus?” Martin said. “No, we’re not doing that.”
And these are good players who have led a resurgent season that are all but assured of landing Missouri in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in Martin’s four years. They would be assets to another Tigers team.
Senior players have been asked about this topic last week and to a person they said the idea is far from their minds. The senior group will be remembered among the most successful in recent years. Missouri spent 11 consecutive weeks in the AP poll, peaking at No. 10. The Tigers are 15-7 overall and 8-7 in the SEC and a victory over LSU would give the program its second conference winning record in eight years.
Dru Smith and Tilmon are all-conference candidates, with Smith, who started his career at Evansville, providing a season highlight on Tuesday with his reserve layup inside the final second to give the Tigers a two-point victory at Florida. He and Xavier Pinson lead Mizzou in scoring at 14.0 points per game, and Smith leads the SEC in steals at 2.0 per game.
Tilmon has improved every season in Columbia and is one of the SEC top big men, if not the best. He averages 12.9 points and 7.6 rebounds.
“When I first came in I was a hard worker but I was more laid back and didn’t want to say anything,” Tilmon said. “Now I’m to the point where I’m the older guy and I’m speaking up.”
Mark Smith spent his freshman season at Illinois and has averaged double figure scoring in his three years at Missouri while regaining his long range touch over the past few games.
Mitchell Smith is coming off the most productive game of his career, 14 points at Florida, and knocked down two critical three-pointers.
The play-making Buggs, who spent his first three seasons at Hawaii and left as that program’s career assist leader, has averaged two assists off the bench for the Tigers.
Martin may want to push all them from the comfort of college life, but the relationships have been established and the lines of communication will forever be open to his former players.
“That’s the part we try to focus more on as a staff, the 10, 20 years down the road,” Martin said “If I’m coaching you day to day, then we don’t really have a relationship. We just cut a deal.”