Missouri transfer guard CJ Gunn was ruled ineligible by the Southeastern Conference after earning money from a signed pro contract in May, CBS Sports insider Matt Norlander reported Monday. The tweet from Norlander at 1:40 p.m. cited that head coach Dennis Gates told CBS Sports the news.
Gates, who met with the media around noon Monday, provided an update on Gunn.
"I got a phone call probably this evening that I have to have to figure out what's going to take place with CJ," Gates said Monday. "So I'm looking forward to finding that out as well."
It's unclear if that phone call had, or has, to do with Norlander's report. Norlander added that the Tigers have to file their roster to the SEC tonight ahead of their season opener on Tuesday against Cleveland State. There's no appeal available.
The 6-foot-7 transfer guard played three games in the Canadian Elite Basketball League during May after spending four years on Indiana and Depaul and received $524 from the contests. Gunn is also ineligible to be drafted by the G League because the ruling was finalized ahead of the Tigers' opener and the G League already had its draft.
Without Gunn, the Tigers still roster eight guards including five-star freshman Jason Crowe Jr., highly-anticipated transfers Jamier Jones and Kennard Davis Jr. and a plethora of youth, returners and other transfers.
Oct 14, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Jason Crowe Jr. speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Tigers' freshman guard was named to the Naismith Trophy Men's College Player of the Year Watch List Monday. Crowe is among 50 players listed and one of five freshmen on the list.
"We have a special kid and I never want to take him away from his strengths of scoring the basketball, but also the gravity that he presents on the court for any opposing defenses," Gates said regarding Crowe's preseason hype on Monday. "What he'll continue to learn is the schemes of college basketball and how he has to use his teammates to execute the schemes more so than he did in the past in high school.
Crowe led the Tigers in scoring and assists in both exhibition contests against Kansas State and UNLV, recording 23 points per game and 5.5 assists.
"What I'm proud about is the way he's been playing defense. He's doing a great job communicating, great job leading and oftentimes he and I got to have our one-on-ones, and we do it often," Gates said. "A level of intellect in that conversation is a little bit of suggestion on back and forth, but not just me talking to him; it's him talking and communicating based off his lens because he has a special lens that he sees the game in."
Missouri's season debut is Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Cleveland State at Mizzou Arena. It will be Crowe's first regular season performance and home game.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/missouri as Mizzou guard CJ Gunn ruled ineligible by the SEC .
