“Smart decision young man”: College hoops fans react as 5-star Jason Crowe announces college commitment 

Five-star recruit Jason Crowe Jr. announced his commitment to the Missouri Tigers on Friday. Crowe, the son of former professional basketball star Jason Crowe, was heavily recruited by the USC Trojans and Kentucky Wildcats, but ultimately committed to coach Dennis Gates' Tigers.

During an interview with ESPN after his decision was announced, Crowe revealed the part that Gates played in his decision to join the Tigers over the other teams vying for his commitment.

"Since early July, I have felt a strong commitment to Missouri," Crowe said. "And with today being my birthday, I thought it was the perfect moment to make it official. Coach Gates is a phenomenal coach and person, and his staff are great people. "Our first conversation happened during the USA tryouts. He was really genuine. We talked about family and connected on a meaningful level. Coach Gates is a family-first person. On the court, he's high-energy and competitive," he added.

College basketball fans had mixed reactions to Crowe's commitment to Missouri on Instagram:

"Imagine wanting to play and live in Missouri," one fan wrote. "Great get by them...is there more to the story?" another fan said. "Kid wants to win. Smart decision young man," one fan added. "The second father hired by Missouri also," another fan commented. "I like it and damn Kentucky y'all got got," one fan said. "Come to UCLA!" another fan wrote.

Fan's comments on IG

Jason Crowe is Mizzou's highest-ranked prospect in 8 years

Jason Crowe is the No. 1-ranked point guard and No. 4 overall prospect in the class of 2026, according to ESPN, and his commitment to the Missouri Tigers is the first in the class of 2026. He is also the Tigers' highest-ranked commitment since Michael Porter Jr. in 2017.

Crowe is the first five-star prospect in the class of 2026 to announce his commitment and his signing has given the Tigers a top-five national team ranking, according to 247Sports.

During his commitment announcement, Crowe spoke about his enthusiasm at being part of coach Dennis Gates' team.

"The University of Missouri is a college town that takes great pride in its sports teams," Crowe said via ESPN.com. "Without an NBA team nearby, the focus is on school, basketball and being part of a close-knit community. I am excited to go there and be an impactful player."

Jason Crowe has had a stellar season and in a talented field, he is the leading scorer on the Nike EYBL circuit, averaging 23.6 points with five 30+ point games this season.

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Edited by Veer Badani