What Missouri Basketball's Guard Rotation Presents Ahead of the 2024 Season

With a blend of incoming freshman, transfer talent and returners, here's how the Tigers' guard group shapes up ahead of game one against Memphis.

Michael Stamps | Nov 4, 2024

Missouri Guard Tamar Bates looks to pass during a college basketball game against Ole Miss at Mizzou Arena on Mar. 2, 2024, in Columbia, Mo. / Abigail Landwehr/Columbia Daily Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Missouri Tigers

The Missouri Tigers have frequently relied on high-level guards to lead its teams. That appears to be no different, with a mixture of volume-scoring returners and veterans, a talented transfer and two talented freshmen.

Senior guard Tamar Bates will be the Tigers' leading returning scorer after breaking out into a talented three-level scorer. Anthony Robinson II also returns for the Tiger guard room, looking to expand on his offensive production and enhance the defensive intensity that he's known for. Veteran guard Caleb Grill brings a similar intensity to every facet of the game while he's on the court but only saw limited time last year, so one of Missouri's three captains surely wants to deliver more for the Tigers in his final season of college basketball.

The remaining three are new to the Missouri program and should have their ways of contributing. Iowa transfer Tony Perkins is a unique combo guard who can do everything for any team he's on, from shooting to rebounding to making plays. Freshman Annor Boateng and T.O. Barrett also are physical players for their positions, Boateng being the highest-ranked recruit for the Tigers in the 2024 recruiting class.

Missouri's guards are certainly talented and present for a fascinating rotation with a blend of skill sets for head coach Dennis Gates to utilize. Here's how the Tigers' guard group shapes up for the closely approaching season.

2024 Missouri Guards

Starters: Tamar Bates, Tony Perkins

Bench: Caleb Grill, Marques Warrick, Anthony Robinson II, Annor Boateng, T.O. Barrett

Tamar Bates

Senior, 6'5, 195 lbs

Bates broke out as Missouri's second-leading scorer last season, averaging 13.5 points on 49.5% shooting overall and 38.5% from the perimeter. He showed, alongside lead-guard Sean East II, that he could be the number one player in an SEC offense, which is what he looks to do heading into year two with the Tigers.

It's evident now that Bates can score at multiple levels and in many different ways. That was the best perimeter shooting year of his career so far, topping his 29.8% and 37.4% showings during his first two years with the Indiana Hoosiers. He had his most efficient and best statistical season in general with the Tigers last year and with his backcourt partner in East II gone, Bates looks likely to lead the Tigers in scoring.

He's also shown he can be a disrubutor and lead the offense. More than likely he won't have too, as the Tigers have enough point guard talent to shy him away from the spot. They could mix him into the point guard rotation however, for a more unique look at the spot.

Tony Perkins

Graduate, 6'4, 200 lbs

Perkins, a transfer from Iowa, is a very unique point guard. He's bigger than normal but can do nearly everything on the court. For the Hawkeyes last season, he averaged 14 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists on 43.2% shooting. If there is one thing that might be suspect in Perkins' game, it's his perimeter shooting. He shot a career-low 29.9% from the outside last year, the worst of his four-year stint with Iowa.

The big guard will do everything coach Gates needs of him, even if that means taking a back seat as a scorer. The Tigers have plenty of scorers on its roster, so it's likely that he will not score as much as he has in years past.

It appears that Perkins will be the starting point guard for the Tigers this season. He has the most experience at the spot outside of one or two players, but Perkins' has now proved he can play the spot at the highest level in the Big 10 conference.

Caleb Grill

Graduate, 6'3, 205 lbs

A fan favorite, Grill's season-ending injury last season was a massive blow for the Tigers. He wasn't necessarily having his best season statistically, but the energy and intensity he brings on a game-to-game basis was a trait no one else provided on last years roster.

As a player, Grill is known for his perimeter shooting. When he went down with injury, he was struggling to find his shot, shooting only 29.2% from the perimeter. That was by far the worst mark of his career to date, with his best the season prior with Iowa State, shooting 36.8%. He's proven he can be lights out from the outside, he just needs to find some consistency.

It will not be shocking at all if Grill finds himself at the starting lineup at some point in the season. He is a player Gates heavily relies on as a leader and he clearly has the respect of the team, which makes it easier for him to come off the bench. Right now, Grill looks to be the Tigers' sixth man and sharpshooter.

Marques Warrick

Graduate, 6'3, 190 lbs

Warrick was the No. 39 scorer in the country last season and returns as one of the best high-volume scorers in the country. That being said, a starting spot also might be difficult early on for Warrick and a high-minute role off the bench seems most likely. He has the size of a point guard but the skillset of an off-ball guard, which complicates his role positionally.

He is more than capable of playing point guard and did do a little bit of it with the Northern Kentucky Norse in seasons prior, averaging 2.3 assists in his college career. It does not look like the Tigers will turn to Warrick to do that however, instead looking for a scoring spark off the bench.

Warrick's downhill scoring ability and vision to get to his spots in the mid range is what makes him such a dangerous scorer. He's great at using his body around the rim and is crafty in getting open in mid-range scenarios. He saw a dip in his perimeter shooting last season, shooting a career-worse mark of 29.8%, but is a proven perimeter scorer in years prior.

Missouri was not always good at shooting from the outside last season and the Tigers' additions don't exactly point to that being improved. Its two guard additions are capable of hitting from the outside, but two of them are coming off their worst three-point shooting seasons of their career. Both Warrick and Perkins, alongside the returning Grill, will be relied upon to knock down shots from the outside and if they don't, a large part of the Missouri offense will be missing.

Anthony Robinson II

Sophomore, 6'3, 180 lbs

The second-year guard is an interesting member of the rotation. He has yet to pop-out as a scorer and struggles as a shooter, shooting 36.7% from the field and 20.5% from the perimeter as a freshman, but outside of Grill, arguably no player works harder on the defensive end as Robinson.

He lead the team last season in steals with 1.3 per game, all of which happened in only 13.3 minutes of game time on average. Robinson will have to show dramatic improvements to his offensive game, especially around the rim, because he finds himself with multiple opportunities to finish there.

Robinson is an exciting, explosive guard who will come off the bench as a defensive sparkplug. He's quick and athletic and can get a steal a game, something that nobody else on the Missouri roster provides. His offense, however, needs to improve quickly because he gets so many chances around the rim to score.

Annor Boateng

Freshman, 6'6, 215 lbs

Boateng is a guard-forward hybrid who uses his physicality on both sides of the ball to defend and score. Boateng is going to play multiple spots on the floor for the Tigers this season and his athleticism and profile is exactly why that's the case.

Offensively, Boateng finally broke through as a perimeter shooter in his senior season for Little Rock Central. He's at his best, however, when he is moving downhill. He can attack the rim using his speed and meet defenders there with his strength, effectively finishing in those situations as well. As a defender, he is able to slide his feet and move with quicker defenders and body up larger ones.

High school rankings are often based upon potential and physical traits. Boateng certainly grew as a player in his final year of high school, but his physical and athletic profile are what makes him so intruiging. He will have an excellent opportunity off the bench for the Tigers to grow and learn under veteran players and in that situation, should be able to contribute.

T.O. Barrett

Freshman, 6'4, 200 lbs

Barrett is the odd-man-out in the Tigers guard rotation this year. The freshman isn't a good enough scorer to earn his minutes that way and still needs to increase his maturity. Barrett is a versatile guard who does not yet excel in one certain area, which might not play in his favor.

When he does see the court this season, Barrett will need to be efficient in scoring the ball and can not turn it over. If those things go against him, seeing the floor will be a challenge. He did not get the most time on the court for Link Academy last season due to the high-level of talent on the roster and might need more time to develop than other freshman on the roster.