Mizzou Tigers basketball adds 7-footer who previously played at Arizona St., LSU
The Missouri Tigers men’s basketball team has received its fourth commitment from the NCAA transfer portal: former Arizona State big man Shawn Phillips Jr.
Phillips announced his plan to play for Mizzou via social media over the weekend.
He joins UCLA’s Sebastian Mack, Loyola Marymount’s Jevon Porter and Oklahoma’s Luke Northweather as players who are transferring to the Dennis Gates-coached MU program this offseason.
A 7-foot center, Phillips averaged 5.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game as a junior at Arizona State during the 2024-25 season.
Phillips spent the previous two years with the Sun Devils and could be the scoring threat the Tigers are seeking for the 2025-26 season.
After he transferred to ASU from LSU ahead of the 2023-24 season, Sun Devils coach Bobby Hurley called Phillips “the most gifted frontcourt guy I’ve had.”
After former Arizona State forward Jayden Quaintance went down with an injury this past season, Phillips was the focal point in that frontcourt for 10 games. He had two double-doubles and scored in double digits five times in that period.
The SEC will not be anything new for Phillips as he spent his freshman season at LSU. His playing time there was limited: He appeared in 20 games but averaged just 7.5 minutes per appearance.
Phillips was a four-star recruit out of high school, according to 247Sports, and the 90th-ranked player in the class of 2022.
He chose Mizzou over four other schools in his final five: Kansas, Villanova, Memphis and Cincinnati.
Mizzou’s Peyton Marshall hits portal
Not long after Phillips’ decision was revealed, Mizzou center Peyton Marshall announced that he is entering the transfer portal.
The 7-foot freshman averaged 1.0 points and 1.1 rebounds per game last season. He appeared in 22 games and averaged 4.4 minutes a game.
“I’m excited to see what the future holds and look forward to continuing to grow as a player, a student and a man,” Marshall wrote on X. “Thank you again to Mizzou, my teammates, coaches and everyone who has supported me through this journey so far.”
Marshall was a four-star recruit when he was coming out of high school, according to 247Sports. He was a part of the coveted class of 2024 for Mizzou that included T.O. Barrett, Annor Boateng, Trent Bruns and Marcus Allen. Allen, too, has since entered the transfer portal.
Bates to compete in Portsmouth Invitational
Mizzou guard and Kansas City native Tamar Bates will compete in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, which runs Wednesday through Saturday in Portsmouth, Virginia.
The PIT is a pre-NBA combine tournament in which college seniors compete in front of pro scouts.
Bates ended his career as the NCAA’s all-time leader in free-throw percentage and averaged 13.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in his final season with the Tigers.
MU shows interest in Fallah, Turner, Lampkin
Mizzou has reportedly reached out to Oregon State transfer forward Parsa Fallah. The 6-9 redshirt junior averaged 12.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game for the Beavers last season.
The Tigers have also lined up a visit with Central Arkansas transfer forward Nehemiah Turner. The 6-10 freshman averaged 8.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 blocked shots per game in 2024-25.
Mizzou has shown interest in Eddie Lampkin Jr., who is out of eligibility but is seeking an additional year after experiencing medical issues during his freshman season.
Lampkin would play in his sixth season of college basketball after spending three seasons at TCU, one at Colorado and last season with Syracuse. The 6-11 center averaged 10.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game with the Buffaloes and 11.5 points and 9.6 rebounds last season with Syracuse.
Tigers lose Korta to VMI
Mizzou assistant director of basketball operations Nick Korta has left the program to take an assistant coaching position with VMI.
“Thank you Coach (Dennis) Gates and everyone else at Mizzou for taking me in and helping me grow,” Korta wrote on X.
Korta was hired after working at Bowling Green and spent one season with the Tigers. He previously worked for Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton, one of Gates’ closest mentors.
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