COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Men's Basketball has signed point guard Xavier Pinson to its 2018 recruiting class, head coach Cuonzo Martin announced Wednesday. Pinson is a 6-foot-2 floor general who attended Chicago's famed Simeon Career Academy, where NBA standouts Derrick Rose, Jabari Parker and others starred.
Pinson, who transferred from Chicago's St. Patrick High school, selected Mizzou over Wisconsin, Georgetown and Dayton, among others. Ranked as a three-star recruit by 247Sports, the versatile and athletic point guard helped lead Simeon to a top-5 ranking in the USA Today Super 25 Computer National rankings and an Illinois Class 4A sectional championship.
"We are thrilled to welcome Xavier Pinson into the Mizzou Basketball family," said Martin. "Xavier has tremendous passion for the game and has all of the tools to become a standout guard in the SEC. He has a great work ethic and has tremendous athletic ability. Xavier is an elite passer who is always looking to get his teammates involved. He is an ideal fit for our program, and we look forward to getting him on campus this summer and watching him grow."
Pinson chose to pursue his academic goals and athletic career at Mizzou after building a strong relationship with Martin and his coaching staff. The Chicago native also fell in the love with Mizzou's energetic fan base and the electric atmosphere at Mizzou Arena.
Pinson averaged 11.8 points and dished 3.8 assists per game while shooting 58.5 percent from the field for Simeon, which finished 29-4 overall and won the Public League championship. His senior season for the Wolverines was highlighted by an 18-point, 7-assist performance in a dominant victory over Longwood. Pinson scored 31 points in Chicago's annual City + Suburban All-Star Game.
Pinson, an honorable mention 2018 Chicago Sun-Times All-City selection, joins a talented group of newcomers for the 2018-19 season that already features signees K.J. Santos, Javon Pickett and Torrence Watson.
For all the latest on Mizzou Men's Basketball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team at @MizzouHoops (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).
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— Mizzou Basketball (@MizzouHoops) April 11, 2018
Welcome to the #Mizzou family, @xpinson3! #ToTheFinishLine ???? pic.twitter.com/VDPBwO5ham