Dennis Gates breaks down how Noah Carter impacts the game

Noah Carter may be one of the best example of Dennis Gates’ coaching ability.

The Missouri leader has gotten the best out of Carter, and it’s been a dramatic improvement on how he’s played in the past. During the SEC Tournament, Gates spoke glowingly about one of his star’s bettering of his game.

“I want him to play with confidence, that’s the most important thing,” started Gates. “I don’t like it when he gets frustrated. I don’t like it when he tries to be perfect, because that’s not the game of basketball. I want guys to go out there and enjoy themselves, but also read the game the right way. He read the game the right way. He was able to use his back to the basket ability, that a lot of you guys haven’t been gifted to see as much this season, but he does a good job. He works on every part of his game, from ball-handling to shooting, to back to the basket. He’s just not a shooter. Sometimes he can just get labeled that, because he is a great shooter, but ultimately I’m proud of his inside-outside and his two-point field goal percentage, which is one of the top is the country, I think.”

Continuing, Gates later was poetic regarding Carter’s defense, and how he’s been open and honest about improving his game over the last season.

“He’s improved so much that sometimes you get distracted by wanting to show that you have gotten better at, and he’s gotten better at his perimeter game through his last five years of playing basketball,” added Gates. “Something that he wasn’t able to do early on in his young basketball career, but you have to remain consistent and never forget those basic things, those grass-root things that you have learned., and it’s a gift. He’s been gifted to be able to shoot the ball and have the footwork he has, but also back to the basket patience. Everyone doesn’t have that. I am proud of also the other parts of his games that’s developing.

“Defensively, he’s been able to change shots. He’s been able to switch one-through-five, which is crucial. Being able to guard guards. I think those are things that he wasn’t given the opportunity or the credit, that he is capable of doing.”

As you can see, Dennis Gates believes Noah Carter is as important as anyone to the Tigers’ operation, and he provides the perfect example for improving under the coach’s leadership.