As mid-May draws closer, the transfer portal’s major offseason excitement is probably behind us. Let’s not pretend that the movement is completely over, even though big stars have found their next destinations. All throughout the country, coaches are still very busy, and Missouri is no exception, as the Tigers have signed Jordan Crawford for the upcoming campaign.
A6-2 guard who was born in Charlotte, has come a long way in his career. Pat Kelsey recruited him to the College of Charleston, where he returned in 2022 after redshirting his first year of college. Before using the transfer site for the first time, he scored almost five points a game as a backup the next season.
He performed well for Eastern Kentucky as a redshirt sophomore, both as a starter and off the bench, but he would need to make another journey through the portal to find the ideal position. His potential was truly demonstrated this past season at South Dakota, his third college home, when he established himself as a starter and valuable asset for the Coyotes.
He made 36% of his 3-pointers and averaged 14.4 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. He led the Coyotes to a fourth-place conference finish and was chosen to the Second Team All-Summit. Crawford developed as a potent offensive weapon and finished in the Summit’s Top 5 for 3-pointers made. He demonstrated his abilities on the basketball floor with a 3-point performance in a difficult late January loss to North Dakota State.
Crawford is using the transfer portal and making a significant wager on himself for the third consecutive offseason. He made respectable contributions at his first two institutions, but during his tenure with the Coyotes, he truly developed into a reliable shooter and outstanding contributor. He’s found a respectable landing spot in the SEC at Missouri, and Dennis Gates and company are happy to add another seasoned shooter to the team, despite the fact that he’s committing rather late in the transfer process.
Crawford is by no means the prominent member of a Missouri transfer class that currently consists of at least five players, including rival Kansas’ Bryson Tiller, Tennessee’s Jaylen Carey, and Providence’s Jamier Jones. He does, however, play a crucial position in the backcourt with those gifted forwards, joining Kennard Davis of BYU in what should be a noteworthy role for the Tigers. Will Missouri be able to return to an expanded NCAA Tournament for the upcoming season given the current changes? What can we anticipate from Crawford when he plays SEC opponents?
