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Just got off the phone with former Baylor SF Deuce Bello. As @gabedearmond first reported, Bello has decided to transfer to #Mizzou.
— Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) May 20, 2013
Just got a phone call from Deuce Bello. He's headed to Missouri. Sounded like style of play was a major factor.
— Evan Daniels (@EvanDanielsFOX) May 20, 2013
As first reported by Gabe Dearmond on the PowerMizzou premium boards and confirmed by other reporters on Twitter, it appears Deuce Bello will be a Missouri Tiger.
The No. 54 player in the Rivals class of 2011, Bello has been a defensive standout for Baylor and quite a work in progress on offense. In 2012-13, during Baylor's NIT championship campaign, Bello averaged 10.9 minutes, 2.4 points (48% on 2-pointers, 22% on 3-pointers, 43% from the line), and 1.4 rebounds per game. In 36 games, he also threw in 21 assists, 20 steals, 10 blocks, and 30 turnovers.
Bello's athletic upside is obvious, but his addition also serves as further proof of what Frank Haith has been saying for a while now: He wants a better defensive team. With Bello eligible starting in the 2014-15 season, Haith should get further assistance in that regard. Bello is a solid defender and an absolutely freakish athlete (see below). The question for this team moving forward, of course, is whether the defensive gains have come too much at the expense of the offense.