From de- to re-commitment, Overland Park’s Aidan Shaw showed devotion to Mizzou Tigers
Among those caught in the revolving door of the Missouri men’s basketball roster was Aidan Shaw.
As the team’s lone freshman recruit, Shaw had committed to the Tigers in 2020, and there was no doubt he’d wear the same colors as his high school, Blue Valley.
Then the coach who recruited him, Cuonzo Martin, was fired, and uncertainty crept into Shaw’s world. He de-committed.
“The reason I did is because there was nobody here,” Shaw said.
Not in the coach’s office, for sure, and few were in the locker room, either. Players were quickly entering the transfer portal to leave, and Shaw, who had been recruited by the likes of Oklahoma State, Iowa and Maryland, wondered if a new destination would be in his best interest, too.
New coach Dennis Gates made retaining Shaw a priority, and for the second time, Shaw pledged to Mizzou. And now Gates, Shaw and the rest of the Tigers open their season Monday against Southern Indiana at Mizzou Arena. Tipoff is 7 p.m.
“Coach Gates contacted me as soon as he got his job,” Shaw said. “That’s why I was really convinced he really wanted me here. When a head coach shows interest like that, it’s something players love.”
Gates came to Shaw’s home in Overland Park and discussed the team and projected roles. The Tigers played an exhibition game against Washington University of St. Louis last week and Shaw got nine minutes. He had a basket in two field goal attempts and collected one rebound. Nobody played more than 26 minutes.
Shaw’s playing time figures to increase as the season unfolds.
“My expectation is for a player like that to hit his peak come January, but also continue to take strides in the right direction,” Gates said. “He’s a high-energy dude, an unbelievable rebounder, great cutter, good catch-and-shoot ... I’m excited about his retention and lost in the details.”
As a senior at Blue Valley last season, the 6-foot-8 Shaw averaged 19.7 points and 9.6 rebounds. He shot 45.9% overall and 39.1% from beyond the arc. He was named All-Metro and won the high school slam dunk contest at the Final Four. He closed out his high school career by winning the DiRenna Award as the top player in the Kansas City area.
Shaw’s leaping ability was on full display during an open practice two weeks ago when he converted multiple lob-dunks. As he finds a way early in his college career, high-level athleticism is a good starting point.
“My athleticism is what I’m known for,” he said. “Also, I pride myself on the defensive end, like blocking shots and staying in front of defensive players.”
The details
Southern Indiana at Missouri
Tipoff: 7 p.m.
TV: SEC Network+ (streaming)
Radio: KMBZ (980 AM)
Mizzou’s next game: Friday vs. Penn, 7 p.m.