The Dennis Gates Bat-signal is alight again.
It ensures everyone everywhere can't unnecessarily chide Missouri men's basketball for not recruiting height to its roster.
"You guys are upset because you can't write about us not having height now," Gates said this past summer while talking about MU's addition of Connor Vanover. It also applies for MU's Class of 2024.
Trent Burns announced his commitment to Missouri Sunday afternoon live on YouTube with On3. He's a four-star center who stands 7-foot-3 inches tall. Burns chose MU over Rice, Xavier and Tulsa, and is regarded as a fast riser in the recruiting world.
Burns' commitment is the fifth addition to Missouri's 2024 class. He's also the second center to commit to the Tigers' in the 2024 class, too, joining fellow four-star center Peyton Marshall.
This means MU's 2024 class will have five commits in a class that will be deep and talented. Every single one of the five Tigers' commits is rated as a four-star player.
Burns is rated as the 13th-best center in the country and the third-best prospect in Texas by 247Sports.
The Tigers add his talent to the Class of 2024, which also includes Marshall, Annor Boateng, Marcus Allen and T.O. Barrett. That class is also rated as the No. 1 overall class in 247Sports' 2024 recruiting rankings.
Burns will certainly give Missouri depth at center alongside Marshall. Jordan Butler , a freshman this season for Missouri, could grow into a powerful rebounding presence for MU. Adding two 7-footers to the fold just increases the Tigers' post presence and gives Missouri more pieces to play bigger lineups.
The evaluation of Burns is that he's a raw prospect, according to 247Sports. He's still learning how to use his body to block shots as opposed to just altering them. Burns also plays comfortably around the perimeter as a shooter, which fits Gates' offense as a versatile player on the offensive end.
Fit was something that Burns said he was looking for in his next step.
"Somewhere where I can keep expanding my game, call home," Burns said before announcing his decision on YouTube. "Where I feel like the coaching staff will prepare me to hopefully reach the next level."
Burns gives Gates and the MU coaching staff a player to develop in the post who can also play at the perimeter and goes hand-in-hand with Marshall, who is a force around the rim. Those are two talented centers.
Adding Burns means MU has five commits, but it doesn't mean Gates is done on the recruiting trail.
MU hosted 6-foot-9 and five-star center Jayden Quaintance for a visit on Sept. 22. Even with five incoming freshmen, Missouri wouldn't turn away a sixth who has a five-star rating.
However, with or without Quaintance, MU will have a highly rated class that spells the potential for Gates' future.
Boateng and Barrett shape the future of the Tigers' guard rotation, while Allen is a talented wing player who brings elite defensive potential. Add two centers with two versatile skill sets, and Gates has a complete roster he can develop in the 2024 class alone.
Missouri will also most likely have Butler, Anthony Robinson and Trent Pierce as future pieces that could grow with the 2024 class, as well as Tamar Bates, Aiden Shaw and Curt Lewis as pieces that graduate in 2026.
The Tigers' future is coming into shape.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: What Missouri basketball is getting in Trent Burns' commitment
