Mizzou basketball 7-footer Connor Vanover didn’t play in season opener. Here’s why
Mizzou fans will have to wait to see their new big man.
Missouri men’s basketball center Connor Vanover, a 7-foot-5 Oral Roberts transfer, will miss the first three games of the season due to “participation in The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in April,” the team announced via its X (Twitter) account Monday evening, less than two hours before the Tigers began the season against UAPB.
Through a spokesperson, Missouri said it was an NCAA decision.
MU defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 101-79 Monday night at Mizzou Arena.
Vanover, the tallest player in college basketball, transferred to the Tigers in June. During a media session on Oct. 16, he said that during the offseason he was unsure whether he was going to forgo his final year of eligibility to turn pro or return to college, saying he had declared for the NBA Draft.
The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament is a professional preparatory event, with 64 seniors participating each year in front of scouts. Per the tournament’s website, participation may “adversely impact” a player’s collegiate eligibility:
The website notes: “Please be advised that, due to NCAA rules governing the NBA pre-Draft process, participating in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament may adversely impact a college player’s ability to return to college to compete in NCAA Men’s Basketball during the (season) or any subsequent season.”
The tournament website suggests players converse with their “head coach and the compliance department at their educational institution” about how participation may impact them.
With the tournament taking place in April, Vanover had not yet enrolled at Mizzou for any consultation.
Vanover’s three-game absence means he will be eligible to return for the Tigers’ game against Minnesota on Nov. 16 in Minneapolis.
He will miss the Tigers’ home games against Memphis on Friday and SIU Edwardsville next Monday after sitting out the opener.
The Star has partnered with the Columbia Daily Tribune for coverage of Missouri Tigers athletics.
This story was originally published November 7, 2023 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Mizzou basketball 7-footer Connor Vanover didn’t play in season opener. Here’s why."