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NBA mock draft update. Could Michael Porter Jr go as high as 4th?

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The NBA Draft is just a little over a week away and multiple publications continue to update their mock drafts, some of them releasing as many as their ninth update since the process started a couple of months ago.  Mizzou fans were excited to hear that Jontay Porter will come back to Columbia for his sophomore season, even though he believed he was a for-sure first-round pick.

Whether or not you believe Jontay turned down potential first-round money, it is certain that older brother Michael is a top-ten pick according to the top mock drafts.  Below are the updated picks.

CBS SPORTS
4. GRIZZLIES Michael Porter Jr.
Height: 6’10” | Weight: 210 | Age: 19 | Last: 5
Stats: 10.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 33% FG

Sure, there are questions about Michael Porter Jr. — specifically how healthy he is and his long-term outlook after missing most of his freshman season due to a back injury that required surgery. But his potential to develop into a go-to scorer drives his ceiling to an All-Star-level player if he’s able to stay on the court. He’s worth taking a risk at No. 4 for a re-booting Memphis franchise lacking on talent.

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
5. MAVERICKS:

There’s talk that the Mavericks may prefer not to draft a center in this scenario, with a potential eye on DeMarcus Cousins in free agency. It’s possible they look to move this pick. If they keep it and are willing to take the risk, Porter makes sense as a fit with their personnel. He’s a wildcard in the draft as he continues to work into peak shape, but seems to be trending toward full health. His situation will clarify now that some teams atop the draft have access to his medical information. Porter’s pro day was well-attended, and he’ll work out again in private on Friday for lottery teams only. The game comes easily to Porter, and in a total vacuum, his offensive gifts would make him a top-five selection. The risk of re-injury, as well as background intel on his personality, may continue to give some teams pause. Though he could still end up falling in the draft, there appears to be enough interest to keep him safely in the Top 10.

ESPN, SB Nation and NBADraft.net
8. CAVALIERS

ESPN Summary: A former 5-star recruit out of Nathan Hale High School in Seattle, Wash., Porter was ranked as the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect and No. 1 small forward in the 2017 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Last season at Missouri, the 6-foot-10, 215-pound true freshman missed nearly the entire season after suffering a back injury in the season opener. He returned in the SEC Tournament and averaged 14.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks over the final two games.

New recruit on Mizzou…”When I stepped on campus, it felt like home.”

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Mizzou Women’s Basketball has signed Akira Levy to its 2018 recruiting class. Levy is a 5-foot-8 guard from Baxter, Tennessee, who won a pair of state championships at Upperman High School. Levy racked up 2,761 points, 921 assists, 591 rebounds and 504 steals during her high school career. She was twice named Tennessee Class AA Miss Basketball and earned 2018 All-USA Tennessee First Team honors after a stellar senior campaign. In her final season at Upperman, Levy averaged 25.3 points, 9.4 assists and 4.8 steals per game.

“I chose Mizzou because the team is wonderful, I really clicked with the girls,” Levy said. “The coaching staff is awesome. When I stepped on campus, it felt like home.”

Levy is a proven winner, leading her high school to 45 consecutive wins, including a spotless 37-0 record in 2017-18. Levy is the No. 66 recruit in the nation in ESPN’s class of 2018 rankings. She is a dynamic scorer and elite passer. She shot 58.9 percent from the field and 73.5 percent from the free throw line while boasting a 3.3 assist-to-turnover ratio during her career.

Levy joins fellow Top-70 recruit Grace Berg in the Tigers’ class of 2018.

Other Tiger news:  Pingeton told reporters at a Mizzou Coaches Caravan on Tuesday in Mendon that Cierra Porter is considering medical retirement. The senior to be tore an ACL in her left knee in eighth grade and has since dealt with knee issues.

“She’s a big part of what we’ve got. We love her to death. Just trying to figure out what’s in her best interest. If she does come back we have to be mindful of that mileage,” said Pingeton.

#Mizzou basketball lands transfer guard Dru Smith

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Mizzou Men’s Basketball signed transfer guard Dru Smith to its 2018 recruiting class. Smith transfers from Evansville, where he earned Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman honors in 2017. Smith started all 22 games he appeared in last season, reaching double figures 17 times and scoring at least 20 points in a game on four occasions. Smith averaged 13.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.0 steals as a sophomore at Evansville.

The Evansville, Indiana, native will sit out the 2018-19 campaign due to NCAA transfer rules and have two years of eligibility remaining.

He is the sixth member in a talented group of Mizzou newcomers heading into the 2018-19 season, alongside signees Mark Smith, K.J. Santos, Javon Pickett, Xavier Pinson and Torrence Watson.  The Tigers lost out on the state’s top prospect, Courtney Ramey, who chose Texas last week.

“We are excited to welcome Dru into the Mizzou Basketball Family,” Martin said. “Dru is an experienced player who understands the kind of work ethic it takes to succeed at this level. He is a proven shooter and talented passer who can impact the game in so many ways. Dru will be an outstanding teammate and we’re thrilled to have him join the program.”The sharpshooter led the Missouri Valley Conference in three-point shooting, making 48.2 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc. Smith ranked third in the MVC in both field goal percentage and free throw percentage, shooting 57.8 percent from the floor and 86.2 percent from the free throw line.

Mizzou basketball lands Mark Smith who leaves Illinois after one season

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Mark Smith is coming to play for Missouri basketball after all.  The Edwardsville guard chose Illinois over Missouri in recruiting last year but has now decided to transfer from the Fighting Illini to the Tigers after one season.  Smith will have to sit out the 2018-19 campaign, but will then have three years of eligibility remaining.

Smith started 19 of 31 games for Illinois and averaged 19 per minutes per game, scoring 5.8 points per game.

According to Mitchell Forde of PowerMizzou.com, Smith made his decision to transfer based on his relationship with head coach Cuonzo Martin with Forde quoting Smith as saying he “wasn’t going to make another mistake not playing for him.”

#Mizzou gets much needed help with point guard commitment

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The Mizzou men’s basketball team has point guard help on the way.   Xavier Pinson on Wednesday morning signed on with the Tigers, kicking off the spring signing period.

Pinson is from Simeon High School in Chicago. He’s a 6’2 guard and 247Sports ranks him the No. 64 point guard in the class.  He joins 4-star shooting guard Torrence Watson from St. Louis in Mizzou’s class of 2018.

The spring signing period will remain open until May 16.

Jontay declares for NBA draft, but doesn’t hire an agent

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Mizzou basketball freshman forward Jontay Porter declared for the NBA draft, but has not hired an agent.  This leaves open the possibility of a return to Mizzou for his sophomore season.

Porter announced his decision in a tweet on the Mizzou basketball team’s account.

Jontay must decide by May 30 to enter the draft or return to school in order to retain his college eligibility. The draft is June 21 in Brooklyn, N.Y.  Michael Porter Jr. announced last week that he will enter the NBA draft and signed with Priority Sports, choosing to forego his college eligibility.

Michael will likely be a high lottery pick while Jontay has been projected as a late first- or early second-round pick.

#Mizzou women’s basketball lands 8th grader

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photo via Twitter @addison_potts3

Long before she even studies for her first high school biology exam or figures out if lunch is the fourth or fifth hour,  14-year old Addison Potts of Ft. Myers, Florida knows where she is playing college basketball.  She’s headed to the University of Missouri.  On Tuesday, Mizzou women’s basketball coach Robin Pingeton learned the 5’10 eighth-grader wants to play for the Tigers.  Mizzou was one of seven schools to already offer Potts a scholarship.

Potts will start high school this fall and received offers as far back as last summer after completing 7th grade from Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas, Colorado, South Florida and Florida Gulf Coast, who just knocked Mizzou out the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Mizzou finished the season with a 24-8 record.

Michael Porter Jr, “thankful to be part of a special group,” but announces he’s leaving #Mizzou for #NBADraft (VIDEO)

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Michael Porter Junior has announced he’s leaving Missouri after his freshman season.  He only played 53 minutes during this one year with the Tigers.  The six-foot-10 forward had back surgery after playing just two minutes in Mizzou’s season opener.  There no word yet on if his brother Jontay Porter will enter the draft as well.

🙏🏼

A post shared by Michael Porter Jr. (@mpj) on

#Mizzou men’s season ends in Nashville and now fans wait on the Porters to decide (AUDIO)

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The Missouri Tigers men’s basketball team showed the same grit and character in the second half that they have all season, rallying from a 22-point first half deficit to trim Florida State’s lead down to six, but it wasn’t enough as the Seminoles pulled away for a 67-54 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Mizzou finishes Cuonzo Martin’s first season at 20-13, a twelve-win improvement over last year.

Kassius Robertson had 19 points for Missouri. Michael Porter Jr. scored 16 in what might be his final college game.  To blame the loss on Michael would be wrong.  He did all he could in just his second game back from surgery that caused him to miss the entire regular season.

Younger brother Jontay and fellow freshman Jeremiah Tilmon struggled against Florida State’ strong interior game.  The big freshman for Mizzou went a combined 1-for-9 from the field with four total points, eight rebounds and nine fouls.  Tilmon fouled out.  His season ended in frustration as he felt a couple of calls should have been whistled against him.

Not only will the Tiger faithful need to wait upon Michael to make his decision, but there is also the possibility that Jontay could leave for the NBA.  It is a goal of his, but whether that happens now or he returns to Mizzou for a second season will be determined later as well.

What #Mizzou needs to do to advance past Florida State

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Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. lays the basketball in for two points in the first half against Georgia in the SEC Tournament game at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on March 8, 2018. Photo by BIll Greenblatt/UPI

When the players from Missouri say they’ve only seen a little bit of Florida State and in return they say they haven’t seen much video of the Tigers, it will be difficult for me to lay out what type of strategy Mizzou needs to employ in order to get past the Seminoles in this first round NCAA Tournament game on Friday night from here in Nashville.

However, after discussing the game with those who cover Florida State, listening to their players speak yesterday and what I know about the Tigers…I can lay out my “keys to a win.”

Let’s talk about the game tonight on Twitter.  Follow me @Missourisports

The biggest concern is depth.  Florida State has ten players that logged an average of no fewer than 11 minutes per game and five players with 24 or more minutes per game.  Mizzou had ten of those players who also played no fewer than 11 minutes per game, but here’s what has happened.

Blake Harris transferred.  Terrance Phillips suspended. Cullen VanLeer, injured. Jordan Barnett suspended.  That leaves Mizzou with just five players who have put any significant court time in plus Michael who says he is better than the 60 or 70% he claimed to be in St. Louis for that Georgia game,

In short, the Tigers have to stay out of foul trouble.  If they run into the same issues they had in the opening round of the SEC Tournament, they won’t have the ball for the final shot against Florida State.  The Seminoles will blow them out.  They are a much better team than Georgia.

Mizzou will have to get gritty.  Much like the Tigers, Florida State prides themselves on strong defense yet some knock them for their inability to protect the three-point shot.  It’s important to get Jeremiah Tilmon and Kevin Puryear looks inside.  Puryear has to be aggressive.  Given opportunities to drive to the rim, he must do so. There might be some shot blocks or misses, but the Tigers have to make Christ Koumadje (1.6 blocks per game) and Ike Obiagu (2.2 blocks per game) work.

Kassius Robertson needs an all-around better game.  He didn’t shoot the ball well and Cuonzo Martin said he didn’t have a good game defensively in the loss to Georgia.  The senior has been asked to do a lot, but they need him on both ends of the floor.  If Kassius is the main focus of Florida State’s defense…in other words if their goal is to shut him down and not get open, he should become the point guard and work to get the Porter’s open on the outside.

Given what the last three weeks have been like for Jontay Porter, people are talking about him, but I really believe he’ll have a big game again.  Florida State will be geared towards limiting Kassius and slowing down Michael, but if the big stage nerves don’t get to Jontay, he’ll have open looks from long range and he should try to get inside as well.  Florida State’s thought process may be to let Jontay score his points, but slow Michael and Kassius and they can win.

Then when Reed Nikko and Brett Rau come off the bench, they have to be invisible to us…the media and the fans.  What I mean by that is they are not going to score much, they won’t be big impact players.  Rebound, play good defense, don’t turn the ball over.  Eat up a couple of minutes at a time and don’t get exposed.

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