What Will Mizzou's Forward Rotation Look Like in 2024-'25 Season?

A mix of returners and new additions make up the Tigers frontcourt rotation.

Feb 17, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels guard Allen Flanigan (7) and Missouri Tigers forward Aidan Shaw (23) battle for a rebound during the first half at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Despite Dennis Gates' teams usually relying heavily on guard play, Missouri built a strong frontcourt over the offseason.

Alongside returners Aidan Shaw and Trent Pierce, the Tigers brought in Mark Mitchell and Jacob Crews in the transfer portal, as well as Marcus Allen in their freshman recruiting class. It's a group of players that all excel in different areas and play multiple positions, making for a dynamic rotation.

On a team needing some offensive consistency and rebounding, these five players will be important parts of Missouri's roster this season.

2024 Missouri Forwards

Starters: Jacob Crews, Mark Mitchell

Bench: Aidan Shaw, Marcus Allen, Trent Pierce

Marcus Allen

Freshman, 6'7, 220 lbs

It's tough to project where exactly Allen will find his way into the rotation in his freshman year, but regardless, he proposes a solid option for Missouri in the frontcourt.

Allen's a superior defender than scorer, so it allows time for his offense to come around enough to convince Gates to place him high in his rotation. Similarily to Anthony Robinson II, his defense may just be enough give him an opportunity by itself.

The Tigers have a lot to balance in the lineup though, so Allen being a top wing option early on is likely an overestimate.

Jacob Crews

Graduate, 6'8, 210 lbs

Although classified as more of a guard, Crews is likely receiving most of his playing time this season on the wing.

Coming off a season at UT Martin averaging 19.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game on 41.4% shooting from behind the arc, Crews fits the mold of a 3&D forward. As a knock-down shooter and player that can proivde some help on the glass, he'll likely receive a starting role.

Due to his versatility Crews will likely flip-flop positions throughout the year, but he'll stick around mainly at small forward.

Mark Mitchell

Junior, 6'9, 230 lbs

As Missouri's mostly highly-touted transfer coming out of Duke, Mitchell is expect to be a key player in its search to get back on track.

Most of Mitchell's offense last year came within the paint and in transition, but Gates will look to get more creative with his usage. He'll be a cornerstone of the Tigers' defense this season, along with adding some help to their rebounding problem.

More than likely, Mitchell will be a full-time starter throughout the entire season at the power forward position. In bigger lineups, he has the ability to move to the small forward, especially if he can improve his three-point shot.

Trent Pierce

Sophomore, 6'10, 220 lbs

By the end of the year, Pierce suited up for a total of 23 games, but only averaged 1.8 points and 1.2 rebounds in 6.5 minutes per game. Despite the growing opportunity for playing time with the Tigers' downward spiral to the bottom of the SEC, Gates continued to use him sparingly. 

Still, Pierce decided to stick around in Missouri and avoid the transfer portal, hoping to have a much more impactful season as a sophomore. Having the potential to knock down the 3-pointer and defend on the perimeter as a nearly 7-foot wing sounds like the makings of a great player, and if he can put everything together, he'll be an important part of its forward rotation.

With the Tigers being as guard-heavy as they are, Pierce will likely be used as more of a power forward than a small forward.

Aidan Shaw

Junior, 6'9, 210 lbs

Inconsistency was a problem for Shaw last year, whether it be on the offensive or defensive end. Used as more of a big man rather than a forward, he wasn't able to produce enough through scoring or rebounding to maintain a significant role in the rotation, averaging 3.6 points and nearly four rebounds per game. 

The Tigers have other centers to thrown in that would allow Shaw to slide to the power forward more often than not, but he'll need to start finding some sembalance of a jumper outisde of the paint. With the likes of Josh Gray and Peyton Marshall joining the fold, his skillset won't be as needed at center.

Expect him to split time at power forward and center throughout the season though, just more so in the forward rotation.

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