Missouri basketball: How Anthony Robinson II can help the Tigers next season

Missouri basketball is set to have a well-tooled guard group for the 2023-22 season. It suffered some attrition after last season, with D’Moi Hodge, DeAndre Gholston and Tre Gomillion running out of eligibility, plus Kaleb Brown hitting the transfer portal.

Head coach Dennis Gates has worked to restock the shelf, bringing in the likes of John Tonje, Tamar Bates and Caleb Grill in through the portal to join returners like Sean East, Nick Honor and possibly Isiaih Mosley.

He also is getting reinforcements through recruiting. Anthony Robinson II, a four-star prospect from Florida, was the Tigers’ first signee of the 2024 class.

"Anthony was our first commit in the Class of 2023 and one we are really looking forward to working with," Gates said in a press release upon Robinson’s signing. "He really blossomed during the summer and continues to improve due to his strong work ethic.”

What Missouri basketball is getting with Anthony Robinson II

Robinson is a point guard, listed at six feet, three inches tall and 165 pounds according to MaxPreps. He played his high school basketball at Florida State University School.

His high school coach was Charlie Ward, a former NBA player who also won the Heisman Trophy as a quarterback at Florida State.

"Anthony has grown as a leader and his ability to affect the game with his playmaking ability is next level," Ward said in the release when Robinson signed. "He is a competitor and I am grateful he is playing for us. Congrats on him becoming a Tiger and we are all very proud of him."

Robinson chose the Tigers over a slate of offers that included Appalachian State, Auburn and Florida State. He was a four-star prospect according to ESPN, and a three-star per 247Sports.

According to MaxPreps, Robinson averaged 18.8 points per game his senior year, along with 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists.

“Anthony embodies our eight core values at Missouri and will fit well within our style of play as he showcases a very aggressive disposition on both ends of the floor,” Gates said. “He is a versatile and aggressive player who is a three-level scorer with a defensive mindset. Anthony will be a key piece of the puzzle for us and it is a great addition for Mizzou."

The style Gates referred to is the same one he made clear all additions will need to fit earlier this offseason. Regardless of position and size, he wants players who can shoot three-pointers and cause turnovers on the defensive end.

His senior year, Robinson hit 39% of his attempts from three and shot 57% total from the field. Solid shooting could help the Tigers stop up the gap left by Hodge.

On the defensive end, he grabbed 3.4 steals per game, along with 1.2 blocks. In his junior year he averaged 2.8 steals.

He helped carry his team to a state title in his junior year in 2021-22. Robinson scored 19 points in the state championship game that season.

Robinson could use a season to grow in MU’s strength and conditioning program, as adding some heft to his frame would help him be more ready to contribute during the grind of his first college basketball campaign. However, he came from an offense where he was given a fair amount of freedom to work and performed well in it.

With how many veterans will be in the guard group for Missouri next season, the Tigers might not need him to contribute right away. If he can grow into a role where he contributes some meaningful minutes, it would be a big help, especially late in the 2023-24 season.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: How Anthony Robinson II can help Missouri basketball next season