Nov. 12, 2008
Columbia, Mo. - Head Coach Mike Anderson signed yet another local prep standout on Wednesday, as the third-year University of Missouri Basketball Coach announced that Lee's Summit West High School point guard Mike Dixon has signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Tigers in 2009-10.
A 6-foot-1, 170-pound lead guard, Dixon becomes the third Kansas City area product to ink with Mizzou in the last two years and will join former AAU teammates (Kansas City Pump N Run) Marcus Denmon and Steve Moore in Black & Gold. Missouri currently has four Kansas City natives on the roster this season (Marcus Denmon, Leo Lyons, Steve Moore and recent walk-on Jarrett Sutton), the most for the program since the Tigers won the 1994 Big Eight title with an undefeated 14-0 record.
"We are certainly excited to have Mike join our program," Head Coach Mike Anderson said. "First and foremost, Mike is a quality young man that comes from a tremendous family. He is a high-character person and that shows the first time you meet him. Mike is a very good student and comes from a great high school program. He has a passion about the game of basketball. He's got a great work ethic, he's a winner and a competitor. I feel it's a tremendous statement when the best player in the state wants to be a part of your program and we have that with Mike. He's been in our camps the last couple of years, so he's familiar with our coaching staff and our players. We are proud he chose to become a Missouri Tiger."
On the basketball court, Mike is a competitor. He's won at every level. We feel like he can really flourish in this brand of basketball. We really like his fit, but a lot of programs across the country would have really liked his fit into their system."
Dixon is already the Lee's Summit West career assists leader and holds the school mark for single-season assists after dishing out 6.6 dimes per game as a junior in 2008. Also an outstanding scorer, Dixon dropped in a career high 20.1 points as a junior en route to First Team Class 5 All-State honors from the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association. That 20.1 ppg scoring norm is tops in school history and the 17.4 points he logged as a sophomore ranks No. 2.
"Mike is a definite leader," Lee's Summit West Head Coach Michael Schieber said. "Mike is great with the ball in his hands, finding open teammates or going to the hoop. The bigger the stage, the better Mike plays and I don't think he could find a better situation than with Coach Anderson at Mizzou. Missouri really is getting a good one with Mike (Dixon)."
Dixon is one of the nation's top point guard prospects defensively and led LSWHS with 63 steals as a junior and had 125 total thefts the last two seasons combined. That defensive prowess also made him one of the nation's most coveted point guard recruits, as he selected Missouri over Arizona, California, Oklahoma and Purdue.
"Missouri is getting a winner first and foremost," Kansas City Pump N Run Head Coach L.J. Goolsby said. "Mike is a competitor and has the same type of mentality on the floor as a Marcus Denmon. He's tough, hard-nosed and aggressive. He's really a leader out there and that's what you want from your point guard.
"I think Coach Anderson is doing a great job recruiting this area," Goolsby continued. "The program is definitely heading in the right direction and Missouri is getting in on the top players in the state. (Coach Anderson) is having a positive impact on a lot of kids in this area."
The early signing period for college basketball opened today and will run through Nov. 19. Mizzou will have a maximum of three more scholarships available for the 2009-10 campaign.
For more information on Mizzou Basketball, please visit our website at mutigers.com.