Yahoo Sports 
Missouri's program-changing 2017 recruiting class may gain another standout
The heralded recruiting class expected to elevate Missouri back to relevance next season may soon gain another member.
Jontay Porter appears to be on the verge of reclassifying to the 2017 class, so he can join older brother Michael Porter Jr. at Missouri in the fall.
It’s a “safe assumption that Jontay will play for the Tigers next season, he told CBSSports.com on Thursday at the Peach Jam tournament in North Augusta, S.C. Michael Porter Sr. did not immediately return a text message from Yahoo Sports seeking confirmation, but Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin has previously said he is holding one scholarship open for next season that he intends to fill this summer.
Assuming Jontay does indeed enroll at Missouri a year ahead of schedule, it would be a major boost for a Tigers program in need of a bounce-back season. Missouri hired former Cal coach Cuonzo Martin to replace Kim Anderson, who was fired in the spring after back-to-back-to-back last-place finishes in the SEC.
Jontay, ranked the country’s No. 11 recruit in the 2018 class by Rivals.com, is a skilled 6-foot-10 post with the ability to score in the paint, to pass out of double teams and even to start fast breaks himself after pulling down a defensive rebound. He’d be a key part of Missouri’s six-player 2017 class that also includes his brother, the consensus No. 1 prospect in the country, and 6-foot-10 Jeremiah Tilmon, a highly touted former Illinois signee.
The signing of Michael and Jontay Porter became all but inevitable when Martin offered their father an assistant coaching job as soon as he was hired. Michael and Jontay Porter previously planned to attend Washington, where their father was an assistant under Lorenzo Romar before the Huskies fired him after five straight seasons without an NCAA tournament bid.
Michael Jr. and Jontay played together last season at Nathan Hale High School in Seattle, producing a 29-0 record and a Class 3A state championship.
Another season like that is a long shot, but the duo is plenty talented enough to end Missouri’s NCAA tournament drought.
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
