The Tigers now hae three commitments in their 2026 class, adding one of the country’s best 3-point shooters.
Dennis Gates’ hot streak on the recruiting trail kept rolling as the Missouri Tigers secured a commitment from four-star small forward Aidan Chronister of Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the 2026 class.
Chronister becomes Missouri’s third pledge of the cycle, joining five-star guard Jason Crowe Jr. and four-star forward Toni Bryant. While ranked the lowest of the trio, he still sits at No. 93 overall and No. 35 among small forwards in the composite rankings.
He picked Missouri over Wake Forest, Oklahoma, Arkansas, St. Louis, and Arkansas State. The Tigers were the first to offer him, a move that ultimately paid dividends.
The commitment is a significant boost for Missouri’s 2026 class—not only because of Chronister’s on-court skill set, but also for the message it sends about the caliber of talent Gates and his staff are now attracting on a national level.
Scouting Report
On the court, Chronister brings Missouri a pure perimeter threat. Most of his scoring comes from beyond the arc, and his combination of size and length makes it easy for him to rise up and release his shot quickly.
At 6-foot-7 and 185 pounds, he can shoot comfortably over bigger defenders, helped by a quick release and polished shooting form. His shooting ability has never been in doubt, but there are areas where he’ll need to grow. Adding muscle to his frame would be a good start. He’s not the most explosive athlete, though he does have enough speed to run the floor and create open looks in transition.
Defensively, there’s plenty of room for improvement, as he hasn’t consistently made an impact on that end yet. Offensively, he’ll also need to diversify his game beyond three-point shooting. While his elite range makes him dangerous, becoming less one-dimensional will only raise his ceiling once he arrives in Columbia.
A look ahead
Chronister’s pledge carries major significance for Missouri, further cementing Dennis Gates’ rise toward building a national recruiting power. With Chronister joining a class that already features two five-star prospects and holds the No. 1 ranking in the country, the Tigers’ momentum is undeniable.
The trio of Crowe, Chronister, and Bryant also fits together seamlessly. Crowe provides elite playmaking and scoring at guard, making Chronister a perfect perimeter target to complement his drives to the basket.
On a broader scale, this commitment highlights Missouri’s growing national profile. Landing three top-100 recruits—including a top-10 prospect—shows that Gates has turned Columbia into a destination for high-level talent.
The next step will be translating recruiting victories into results on the floor. With this 2026 class arriving, the season ahead promises both intrigue and excitement for Missouri basketball.
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