The top-ranked player in the Show-Me State is staying home. Webster Groves point guard Scottie Adkinson officially signed with the Missouri Tigers on Wednesday, cementing a long-standing commitment and helping complete a top-10 national recruiting class for head coach Dennis Gates.
Adkinson, a four-star prospect ranked as high as No. 30 nationally by 247Sports, held his signing ceremony at Webster Groves High School. The St. Louis-area product committed to Missouri in July 2025 — more than a year before National Signing Day for the Class of 2027 — with the simple message, “MIZ, I’m staying home.” He becomes the highest-ranked member of a three-man class that also includes four-star guard Devin Cleveland and four-star forward Cameron Barnes. The group ranks No. 7 nationally according to 247Sports, marking Gates’ third consecutive top-10 class at Mizzou.
The 6-foot-2/3 guard has been a dominant force for the Statesmen. As a junior, he averaged 27 points per game while shooting 62 percent from the field, 45.1 percent from three-point range, and 85 percent from the free-throw line. He previously led Webster Groves to the 2025 MSHSAA Class 5 state championship as a sophomore and earned both the 2026 Missouri Player of the Year honor in Class 5 and the 2025 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year award. Scouts describe him as an aggressive, downhill scorer with high basketball IQ, toughness, and winning intangibles.
Gates and associate head coach Kyle Smithpeters began recruiting Adkinson early in his high school career. In a statement, Gates highlighted the strength of that relationship: “We developed a very strong connection with Scottie right from the start. He is our earliest verbal commit during our time at Mizzou, and that speaks to how strong our relationship is with Scottie and how much he values becoming a Tiger. He has only continued to blossom as a player since that initial commitment, becoming a prolific scorer and decision-maker as his team’s point guard.”
Webster Groves coach Justin Mathes, who has guided Adkinson throughout his high school career, praised the guard’s loyalty in an era when many top prospects change schools. During the signing ceremony, Mathes told Adkinson he has been a “True Son” to Webster Groves and will carry the same values to Columbia. Adkinson has remained at the same high school for all four years, a rare commitment that has earned praise from those around him.
The signing caps a significant day for the Tigers’ 2027 class and reinforces Gates’ emphasis on keeping elite Missouri talent in-state while adding complementary pieces from outside. Adkinson is expected to finish his senior season at Webster Groves before joining the program for the 2027-28 campaign.
