Retaining assistant Tim Fuller a good first step for Kim Anderson at Missouri
Newly hired Missouri coach Kim Anderson eased concerns among some in his fan base by retaining top recruiter Tim Fuller from Frank Haith's staff.
Fuller spent the past three seasons with the Tigers as associate head coach to Haith, who was hired at Tulsa. Fuller went 5-0 filling in as interim coach when Haith was suspended last season, but, perhaps, more importantly in the eyes of Missouri fans is Fuller's recruiting prowess. He is credited with landing many of Missouri's best players in recent years and has a close relationship with its top recruit in this cycle.
Jakeenan Gant, a 6-foot-8 forward, was voted Mr. Basketball in Georgia last season. Powermizzou.com reported Gant was comfortable with his commitment to the Tigers knowing Fuller will still be a part of the coaching staff.
Fuller was considered a candidate for the vacant head coaching job at Florida A&M, but likely would have had to take a substantial pay cut, the Tribune reported. There was concern among the Missouri faithful about Anderson's ability to recruit at a high level coming up from Division II if he didn't have a guy like Fuller on his staff.
"I absolutely love Mizzou," Fuller told the Columbia Tribune. "This place has embraced me. It's been good to me."
Anderson also has added Brad Loos, who has served as his associate head coach at Central Missouri and has been an assistant to Anderson for 12 seasons. He, too, will be making the adjustment to recruiting at the Division I, high major level.
Anderson has one position left to fill on his staff and plenty of work to do retaining other committed players and filling out his next recruiting class.
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is the assistant editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at kyle.ringo@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KyleRingo
