What the Commitment of 4-Star SF Aidan Chronister Means for Mizzou

The hot recruiting streak of Dennis Gates and the Missouri Tigers has continued after Gates added four-star small forward Aidan Chronister from Fayetteville, Arkansas, to the 2026 class.

This marked Missouri's third commitment of the class, joining five-star guard Jason Crowe Jr. and four-star power forward Toni Bryant. Chronister is the lowest-ranked of the three, but is still the No. 93 player in composite rankings and the No. 35 small forward.

Chronister chose the Tigers over Wake Forest, Oklahoma, Arkansas, St. Louis and Arkansas State. Missouri was the first program to extend an offer to Chronister, a decision that later paid off for both sides.

This is a big addition to Missouri's 2026 class for a wide variety of reasons. The skills he will bring to the table for the Tigers are drastically important, but so is the national perception of the type of player Gates and the Tigers are now capable of bringing in.

Scouting Report

That being said, what the Tigers are getting from Chronister on the floor is a clear-cut sharpshooter. Nearly all of his offensive production comes from the perimeter and he has the length and height to get his shot off easily and quickly.

Standing at 6-foot-7, 185 pounds, he has no issues getting his jumper off over longer and taller defenders. This allows for a quicker release, which is also aided by his near-perfect shooting mechanics.

He's a great shooter and that was always a given, but there are definitely areas where he needs to show improvement. To start, a lot of good would come if he could bulk up to over 185 pounds. He's not an incredible athlete, either, but Chronister does possess the speed to space the floor accordingly to get open perimeter looks in transition.

Chronister doesn't always do the most on defense, either. That will need to improve drastically by the time he gets to Columbia. At the same time, so will his ability to score in more than one way. He's a bit one-dimensiona on offense, which isn't the end of the world because of his elite 3-point shooting, but adding more tricks to his bag couldn't hurt.

A look ahead

The commitment of Chronister means a lot of good things for the Tigers, including the fact that Gates continues to inch them toward becoming a national recruiting powerhouse. After adding Chronister to a class of two 5-star recruits and claiming the top class in the nation, there isn't much disputing it.

Crowe, Chronister and Bryant all complement each other well, which is even more impressive and impactful. Crowe is a great lead guard with high-level scoring and distribution skills, making Chronister an excellent weapon for Crowe to find while attacking the lane.

The national impact of this commitment shouldn't be tossed under the rug, either. After landing three top-100 recruits, one of whom is a top-10 player in the country, Missouri has become a place to be desired because of Gates and his ability to recruit.

Now, it's time for Gates and his staff to turn those recruits into wins. The 2026 season will be an interesting one with these guys on the team for a variety of reasons, but it should also bring plenty of excitement and energy.