Trent Burns: Three Thoughts on Missouri's Latest Commitment

Dennis Gates continued his hot hand on the high school recruiting trail when 7-foot-2 center Trent Burns committed to Missouri on Sunday. Burns is Gates’ fifth commitment of the 2024 recruiting cycle, joining four-star wings Marcus Allen and Annor Boateng, three-star guard TO Barrett, and four-star center Payton Marshall. 

This five-man class comes on top of last year’s three-man recruiting class that included four-star forward Jordan Butler, three-star forward Trent Pierce, and three-star guard Anthony Richardson. 

Last season, Gates’ first at Missouri, the Tigers finished fourth in the SEC with a 25-10 overall record. They earned a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament, winning their first-round matchup against Utah State. Kobe Brown was the No. 30 pick in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft.

Let’s discuss what getting Trent Burns means for Missouri. 

Who is Trent Burns?

Trent Burns is a 7-foot-2, 190-pound center from Houston, Texas. Burns is the No. 85 player in the 2024 On3 150 and the No. 10 center in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking. Along with Missouri, Burns took official visits to Rice, Tulane, and Purdue. Xavier, Rice, and Tulane joined Missouri in his final group. 

“I’m shooting it better,” Burns told On3. “Really, for me, it has been about consistency on both ends. I’ve been as consistent as possible. I grew up able to make shots, so I worked a lot on my shooting. I watch a lot of Kevin Durant. He is my favorite player.”

What does he bring to Missouri?

It does not take long to look at Trent Burns to see that he is a long-term play. At 7-foot-2 and 190 pounds, Burns is going to have to put on some weight to be able to deal with the physicality and speed of play at the college level. 

However, sitting there and watching Burns, you also see the tools that he has that make him one of the more unique prospects in the 2024 class. Burns is the tallest player in the 2024 On3 150. At 7-foot-2, he has good length, and he moves well for a player his size. 

Defensively, there is natural rim protection simply by using his size and walling up. On the block, an opposing player is able to get low and establish position, and despite his weight, his length is still able to affect the play. He is a fluid athlete, able to open his hips, move his feet, and switch ends of the court quickly. 

Offensively, Burns is comfortable stretching the floor when his feet are set. He has the touch and the confidence in pick-and-pop and pop and or in trail situations. Burns can also stand in the corner and create spacing as a threat. He will need to continue working on his footwork and really getting into the finer nuances of the game. Burns is good in the mid-range, able to use his touch and size to comfortably knock down shots at different angles. 

At the end of the day, the natural tools are in place. He does things that people his size do not typically do. Moving forward, he is going to have to continue cleaning up his mechanics and his base, as well as adding weight. 

How does Burns fit in the lineup?

It will be interesting to see how Dennis Gates uses Trent Burns initially. On the current roster, you see Connor Vanover, a slender 7-foot-3 player who can stretch the floor. This is Vanover’s first year on the roster, but that would be the obvious pathway for Burns. 

One would think that Gates would be patient with Burns, easing him into the system, possibly even redshirting the center to give him to add weight. With that said, Burns is a year away from stepping foot on campus, and the shooting is a real tool for Burns. Missouri has seven seniors on their roster, including Vanover. 

The Tigers still have roster spots open, but as things stand, Payton Marshall and Trent Burns will be the only two centers on the roster next year. Jordan Butler is listed at 7-foot-0, 220 pounds, and while he could step in for some minutes at the five, he is slated to primarily play more of a forward role. 

Burns talks Missouri

“Coach (Dennis) Gates recruited me hard, and I like their system.”

“Coach Gates calls me the seven-foot sniper. He offered me right away after seeing me. He was the first head coach to offer me on the first conversation, and first call we had. Coach really wanted me to play for Missouri.”