COLUMBIA, Mo. — Now that’s a recruiting win.
Five-star guard Jason Crowe Jr. became the second highest-ranked recruit to ever commit to Missouri men’s basketball, picking the Tigers during a Friday afternoon commitment ceremony.
Crowe, a 6-foot-3 combo guard from Inglewood, California, is ranked as the No. 5 player nationally in the 2026 recruiting class, per 247Sports.
He’s the highest-ranked recruit to commit to the Tigers since Michael Porter Jr. did so in 2017.
Crowe’s high school play style is heavy on scoring, particularly off the dribble. He’s a lefty who has the footwork and shot to be a threat from all parts of the floor. Assuming he continues to add size and strength, he projects as an immediate starting shooting guard for MU.
Because Crowe is rated so highly compared to his peers, Mizzou may not get him for long — prospects of his caliber tend to only stick around a year or two before moving on to the NBA. That’s looking a ways down the road, though: the next step for Missouri is signing Crowe in mid-November when he’s eligible to do so.
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He’s the first 2026 recruit to commit to the Tigers.
Crowe is the seventh four-star-or-better recruit to commit to MU since Dennis Gates was hired in 2023. He and Porter are the only top-25 players in the modern recruiting rankings era to pick Missouri.
“I felt like the first call that I had with Coach Gates was a different conversation than I had with any other coach,” Crowe said after committing. “From there, it’s been a great relationship.”
He announced his decision on CBS Sports HQ from the Peach Jam tournament in North Augusta, South Carolina, which brings together some of the best high school players in the country for the Nike EYBL circuit. In a Thursday night game there, Crowe went 12 for 23 from the field for 36 points.
Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz speaks with the media on Thursday, July 17, 2025, during SEC media days in Atlanta. (Courtesy Southeastern Conference)
Ethan Erickson | Post-Dispatch
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