Everything Dennis Gates Said to Preview the 2024-'25 Season

Read all that the third-year head coach had to say at the Missouri Tigers' media day.

Jan 20, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Dennis Gates reacts during the second half against the Florida Gators at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Just under four weeks until the beginning of the season, Missouri Tigers men's basketball held its annual media day. Along with the 18-man roster, head coach Dennis Gates spoke to reporters to preview the 2024-'25 season.

Here's what Gates had to say before beginning his third season at the helm for Missouri.

Opening Statement:

"Unbelievable time on campus, great energy, unebelievable semester. It all starts from last season, meaning as soon as our season was over we focused on ways we can get better and continuing to move the program in a direction that is honorable.

I think we had a great summer with our additions, recruiting process closed down, everyone moved in. We worked on team building, that was one of the first things we kinda concentrated on. We've got different guys all walks of life, wanted to get them on the same page. Obviously, our core values, friendship, love, accountability, trust, discipline, unselfishness, enthusiasm, and trust. Wanted to see where these guys were from a team building standpoint.

Excellent being able to get guys back, from postseason injuries, things like that. From the semester, I think our guys have diligently been working hard, given the very best, connecting on all cylinders. I'm excited. I'm excited about this group, excited about this team, and looking forward to the sounds of this building, so to speak here at Mizzou Arena."

How did the returners shake off last year?

"I think they've been taught to shake things off at an early age. We have resilient guys, guys that been through things, guys that have transferred, but they weren't born with a silver spoon. Adversity has faced them in their life at some point, and they've been taught by their parents. So appreciate all our parents out there, because those are also my extension of the of the coaching staff.

They do a great job of talking to their young men, talking to the players when they need to, encouraging them when they need to. And these guys just ready to lace them up, ready to build on, what this summer brought, and that's the focus being able to move forward in a positive way."

On how team building is different with the mobility of the transfer portal:

"You strip everything down from the bare bones. Whenever you have a new program, or a new team, a new season, you have new personalities in the locker room. You wanna make sure that these guys are connected in a certain way, not just physically when they go out and perform, but emotionally and mentally. That they have the endurance to stick together and do the things necessary, but also sharpen each other's blade every day. It takes a team to get better over a period of time through their consistency, but also through the challenges that they face when they go against each other in practice, and our guys have been competing at a high level."

On the incoming freshman's class mentality:

"I love our freshmen, but their characteristics, we saw that when they were communicating with us last season. When they, was excited about moving, when they were committed to our institution, when they look past and beyond, the surface of things, they dug deep. They were able to prepare themselves a certain way, move on campus a certain way.

One of their goals and and this is those guys talking to me. Their goals is, as a unit, as a class, is for all five of them to go to the NBA. That's an unbelievable feat to accomplish if it does happen, but they know that they all are gonna take different paths, and they all have different hurdles to overcome to get there. So that's starting with the bare basics, but also now when it comes down to learning our system and learning college life, you see how they approach the classroom. You see how they approach the community. You see how they approach, just basketball in general, and each other, and they've done a doing a great job assimilating into our culture."

Does the team need to earn the trust of the fanbase back?

"No. The fans have done a tremendous job. That is our tradition. That is what this university, what the institution, what our sports grant programs are about.

Our fans are third, second, first generation fans as it relates to their connection, not only to this institution, but Missouri. They wear that with pride. They they put on our school colors, sing our fights on with their with their head high each and every day. They understand obstacles because that's what our sort of fabric is in the state.

What I would say is I'm I'm impressed with having 10,000, having 11,000, having these fans in this building on our last game. It gives us the momentum, but also the belief, and I truly believe they're the fuel that gives us opportunity. This can be a unbelievable home court advantage. You can't predict the things that we went through last year, but I'm not focused on last year. I'm focused on what's what's coming forward and what's moving forward.

That's what new seasons give us, opportunity to, hit the ground running from ground zero."

On the style of basketball he wants the team to play:

"I think we have a unique team. We have a balance of, leadership seniors. We have a balance of talented freshmen, and we have a balance of of core guys that's returning.

So through time, I I truly believe these guys will continue to get better and be the finished product in April. That's the most important thing. Being a finished product in April, our goal is to play in the Alamo Dome. That's our goal. As it relates to our conference, our goal is to compete for a conference championship.

You have to go through things to get there. You have to grow together to get there. You have to push forward to get there. It's not gonna be easy, but what we're doing now is building sort of like the infrastructure to build upon, what our expectations, what our goals are. I'm excited how these guys have approached practice, how they are approaching the training room, how they approach the weight room, the classroom, the community when it comes down to community service.

Just last week, they were at the Boys and Girls Club here in Columbia at the sneaker ball. Unbelievable atmosphere. So if you're out there, looking for something to support, support the Boys and Girls Club. Our guys were out there, and they gave their very best. So for me, character is being built the right way.

Now we have to get through the obstacles what what that seasons presents, and I'm trying to figure out what those are. You won't know it until real time. So when I find out, you guys will find out, and we'll see the true character of our team."

On potential leadership of transfers Mark Mitchell and Tony Perkins:

"They're first season guys, here, but they're seasoned. These guys been in battles, their entire career. Mark Mitchell, obviously, we know his recruiting process as a McDonald's All-American, being able to choose Duke University, things like that. Then obviously transferring.

You look at Tony Perkins. Tony Perkins, didn't have the notoriety coming out of high school, that he would have liked, ended up getting a scholarship to Iowa and look at his development. Second-Team, all Big Ten point guard. I think those guys give us unbelievable experience when you look at the games that they've played, but also the character that they are. Those dudes are good dudes, and their leadership is is obviously gone through actions. They may not always be the most verbal guys, but we have leaders as well.

Jeremy Sanchez is one of our captains. He's played for me, before in the past, and obviously, Caleb Grill is is another. But I expect all our guys to be leaders at some point in time. The circumstance and the situation will speak for who needs to step up and pull everybody together and make sure that we're connected."

On Northern Kentucky transfer Marques Warrick:

"I think he's beyond consistent. Marques Warrick is, the NCAA's returning active leading scorer. Zach Edey was No. 1 and as soon as Zach Edey put his name in the draft, Marques Warrick took the reigns and it just speaks for his ability.

It's important to understand when a kid is circled on a scouting report and he's still able to go out there and perform at a high level the way he has been able to throughout his career consistently. I've seen it up close and personal. I knew what I saw when I first saw him play, and that was a tremendous, tremendous basketball player on both sides, but also a cerebral dude, and he plays the right way. But he's so efficient that when he gets going, he gets going. I'm excited to have him a part of our program.

And for me, he still doesn't shoot enough. You know what I mean? A guy like that does not shoot enough for me and I just wanna see him aggressive at all times. At all times, I wanna see him aggressive because you guys know there's great defenders here at this level. And sometimes, plays break down.

Sometimes, opportunities aren't there. But if you have guys to be able to make the extra plays, meaning unscripted plays, you have guys that can really take over games late and make big plays for us."

On the identity he wants the team to have defensively:

"I think it's important to have a defensive team as it relates to low field goal percentage, being able to defend the line, meaning the three-point line and the free-throw line.

We have done a poor job. I've done a poor job as a head coach, getting results in the free-throw game. Meaning, we've been bottom of our conference the last two years. Although I've emphasized it the last two years, we've still been somehow at the bottom of that. Maybe I need to get more technical fouls. Maybe I don't. I don't know.

But, I'm gonna make it a emphasis and a point to make sure we're understanding winning the foul line is something that we have to do a better job of. But now on the flip side of that, we can't send guys to the foul line. And no matter if it's us shooting 10, we gotta make sure our opponent shoots 9 free throws. We have to be able to find out a way to come out on top when it comes down to the free-throw game and, obviously, closing possessions.

We have length. We have athleticism. This is a better rebounding team by nature. You look at Josh Gray. You look at Mark Mitchell. You look at Tony Perkins. You look at Jacob Crews. You look at Caleb Grill.

Those guys can rebound at a high level, and they can go get the ball. And we have to make sure that our young guys, who are physically gifted as well, pursue the ball in the same way, and I think that will take care of certain areas defensively. But I think, ultimately, you gotta limit certain things, and we're we have to understand our opponents to take things away."

On the team wanting to be tough, physical and disruptive:

"Well, our defensive coordinator, coach (Ryan) Sharbaugh, he's definitely emphasized those three words and it's a part of our program. It's the fabric of which we've approached this season. But I've always approached it that way.

Personnel sometimes allows you to play a certain way and you get the outcomes you get, and you have to not be able to catch every raindrop, so to speak, when you are building teams. And you gotta listen to your team. They will tell you what they need more of and what they don't. You can't expect teams who are not talented on that side to become talented on that side. And therefore, the game of basketball, you can lean heavier on the offensive possessions trying to create opportunities and flow through that, and that will offset some defensive things.

Our mentality has been built since June, and we're lucky that our guys have received it in the way that they have. They've been challenged a certain way, but we have a great staff, and our staff is doing a great job."

On what he hopes to see out of Anthony Robinson and Trent Pierce in their second year:

"I don't wish anything that we went through last year even to our opponents in the SEC. Our rotation and those two was a part of our rotation.

Our rotations missed a 111 games altogether. That's unheard of. But when you look at Trent Pierce, he was one of those guys who had an in-season procedure surgery done. You look at Ant Robinson, he lost his grandmother, and he got sick. So that's freshman things that they went through.

Everybody's life has different obstacles. But it's one of those things where you have to see guys grow and these guys have grown. They have taken steps forward from their first year, and pure maturation does it too. And I'm excited. Again, our parents are an extension of our coaching staff, and the Robinsons have done a great job.

The Pierce family has done a great job in helping us develop their young men and obviously understanding from the the mental, the physical and the emotional part of it to make sure that we're moving them in the right direction."

On the long friendship of Mark Mitchell and Tamar Bates:

"It's funny because I kinda tease those two, and I tease some of our guys during film sessions or even even on a court in practice, I'll say something like, 'Tamar, are you afraid to challenge your your childhood buddy?' or something like that. 'Mark, are you afraid to block his shot? Are you guys just playing buddy ball? What is it?'

But the energy that they bring to our program to have long lasting relationships and friendships, it gives examples of where we can make this team, although we're strangers in some parts, in other parts, this is their first time playing together in a long time. It's just like how they left it off in AAU. They come from a great AAU program. As soon as we began to recruit Mark Mitchell, we had the Bates family, Dr. Bates and mama Bates help in the recruiting process.

Those are opportunities that helps us build this team. And Mark has not looked back since he's been here. Tamar has not looked back since he's been here, and those guys have allowed their friendship to be seen and transparent to the rest of our guys to give an example of what our bond should be. And that should be a lifelong bond. And and that's what I'm excited to see who's in who's wedding, who's in who's, life, beyond this of fraction of of their youth.

Just trying to figure out, how close we get here because we're gonna have some good memories in this building. We just have to make sure that we have the right outcomes."

On the recruiting process of UT Martin transfer Jacob Crews:

"Jacob, as you guys know, he's married, his wife Karmen and he just had a newborn. During that recruiting process, with he and his wife, I made it that. I made it about him and his wife, and more so, his wife than him. And I guess I'm the only coach that talked about a newborn baby coming soon and my credits to our our campus hospital because at that point, during his official visit, that is one of the things that we visited and she was able to tour, and his baby was born, little JJ was born in August.

When you have a wife that's nesting, I've been there and obviously a husband with a child on the way, you look at things from a different perspective. While others may have been thinking about stats, playing time. We were thinking about life, transition and making sure Crews becomes the best father, continues to be the best husband that he can be for his family, and the rest will fall in place. I think that's one of the things that makes this unique.

This is a city that has had open arms, to all of our kids from all walks of life and they felt comfortable. Their families have felt comfortable. And when you can use the community to help you recruit as it relates to tours, that's what makes it easier and stress free. As it relates to our conversations, it wasn't about basketball. It was more about life with Jacob.

I made it a point, to identify a young man like him, who could have gone anywhere in the country. He could have gone anywhere and they were still trying to get him after he committed and signed. But he could have gone anywhere in the country, and that's what it's about. Not making it a transactional type of thing, but making it transformational. I'm just glad he believed in me as his head coach."

The benefit of Caleb Grill returning:

"Caleb Grill has been through a lot and he's he's gonna be a future head coach in college. I truly believe, no different than I looked at Trey Gomillion. Trey Gomillion got pulled back on staff this year. Grill is gonna be a guy after his, professional career, that I will hire one day.

There's no doubt about it. He has a great basketball mind. He's fiery, and that's how I played the game. And he knows it. He has knowledge.

But having him in our program, and we missed him last year. The straw that broke the camel's back was when he went down from a flagrant foul and broke his wrist. We've tried to get him back. It just wasn't acting right. It would swell up when he would try to return, but he wanted to tough it out. He was saying, 'Coach, I'm a put duct tape on it.'

I was not gonna let him return last year. So for me, I think we had to play the big picture, and the big picture was to redshirt him, obviously bring him back. And he's been a captain thus far, and he's doing a great job doing a tremendous job. "

On the NCAA shortening the transfer portal window from 45 to 30 days:

"It's all about perspective. It impacts it but, evolution is evolution. You guys' career (journalists) has changed and evolved a little bit as well. But what makes you important and what makes you guys effective in what you do, is that you've been able to change with the times, and we have to continue to change with the times.

And now, look at innovative ways to continue to recruit, identify kids, but also develop. Player development is very essential. Retention is essential;. You gotta return a core of guys that can carry through your your program, the identity that you want on that court. We have a great core of guys. Aidan Shaw, first high school kid I ever signed during my tenure. He's still in the program, and he's thriving, doing a great job.

You look at the class after him, you have Ant Robinson and Trent Pierce. Gradually, we've increased our high school class, which decreased our portal class, and, hopefully, those high school classes continue to matriculate forward within our program and not matriculate out of our program because it's more popular to be in a transfer portal than it is to be a four year student athlete. I think 20 years down the line, you'll see student athletes going to four or five different alumni games. That's gonna be a little strange to me. Their kids and their wife is gonna be shocked and surprised 'you play for all these college teams?'

So for me, it's trying to make sure the right guys stay in the program and that they are able to carry the tradition forward and the expectation forward."

On how eager the team is to turn the page from last season:

"Eager and determined to build their own story, absolutely. This team will build their own story. We have a banner up, and behind that banner is everybody's name who was a part of that team. So these guys are ready. We talk about that.

There's something on the banner in the front that the fans get to see, but it's a whole lot of stories behind that banner that is invisible to the human eye, meaning the public that happens within the locker room, within these special early morning workouts, the connection between the players and the coaches, coaches and players. I'm excited. I'm excited about a lot of things with this program. I'm excited about (assistant) coach (Dickey) Nutt, coach Nutt being able to get through his cancer, treatment and things like that. The spirit of our fans who reached out to coach Nutt consistently, just to check on him

It's a part of our story, and and the growth of our team is gonna be very, very important. It's gonna be essential every day that we have an opportunity to fill this building up and support that is going to help us grow as a team no different than we've done in the past. That's what I appreciate most about our fans. They showed up last season. They absolutely showed up and I'm excited to see them show up again.

So if you're out there listening, M-I-Z."