Whenever there’s an early offer out to a regional prospect, it’s often an indicator of that player being a priority in the class.

Almost a year ago, Missouri sent one out to T.O. Barrett, a combo guard from Edmond North High in Oklahoma. He was also among the first 2024 recruits MU hosted for an official visit. The impression made helped Mizzou stay in Barrett's good graces — even as his profile began to raise this spring and early summer.

In recent weeks, Barrett visited nearby Tulsa and Oklahoma, but ultimately, the Tigers earned his commitment, the first in a recruiting cycle where the Tigers will have at least six spots to fill.

Earlier in the spring, On3.com’s Jamie Shaw caught up with Barrett and he was asked about his recruitment and specifically his official visit to Missouri the previous fall, he had this to say about the program:

“I really enjoyed it because they all were really close to each other. The whole team and program it was like a family. There didn’t seem to be any animosity between them. Watching them play, I see myself running their offense. I really like how they play because it is free, but it is not out of control.”

Coming off a Class 6A title this spring, Barrett endured a bit of a bumpy start to the grassroots season with MoKan Elite, where he shares ball-handling duties with Curtis Givens (No. 52 in 2024) and Aaron Rowe (No. 16 in 2025), but put together a nice run of games in late May. That stretch, where he averaged 12.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, proved enough to nudge Barrett into the top 100 of 247Sports’ composite index.

The rise of the transfer portal created a downstream effect of schools signing smaller high-school classes. In this climate, inking more than three prep prospects counts as a large class. But it’s still smart to fortify your backcourt with a versatile guards like Barrett.

Moving ahead, MU also has a coherent succession plan and roster balance. Once Nick Honor and Sean East II depart, Anthony Robinson II will have a year under his belt and be ready to step in. And if all goes smoothly, Indiana transfer Tamar Bates will make good on his potential and provide a high-quality vet at combo guard. Now, Barrett adds more peace of mind.

It’ll also be worth monitoring whether this is MU’s entry point to one of the country’s better grassroots programs, which also has an affiliated prep school in Link Academy. That’s where Barrett will suit up next season, along side Rowe and Tre Johnson, the country’s No. 3 recruit.

Let’s Meet T.O. Barrett

• From: Edmond, Oklahoma
• High School: Link Academy, Branson, MO
• Position: Combo Guard
• Ht/Wt: 6-4, 180
• Rivals Ranking: 4-star, 114th
• 247Composite Ranking: 4-star, 0.9584
• Total announced offers: 8
• Offers to note: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Tulsa, Wichita State

You can see right away from Barrett’s video above what Missouri likes about him. He’s got a sturdy frame and uses it well on both ends of the floor.

Offensively he’s able to use his body to get into defenders and maintain control of the ball. His shot load is a little slow, and the ball starts lower than you’d want, but his finish is high and consistent which should help translate as a long term shooter.

He also plays with tremendous pace when the ball is in his hands. He never looks rushed, and plays with his head up. At 6’4 he’s already got good size for the guard position at college, but the ball handling aspect could help him see a handful of minutes at the point guard position.

Defensively he moves his feet incredibly well, and is able to get to his spots to move offensive players off their drives. Where he plays with good pace and under control on offense, he lets his athleticism shine on defense where he can be very disruptive.

Setting all that aside, it’s notable that Barrett has shown he easily buys into programs that demand sharing the load with the likes of Givens, Rowe, and Johnson. That speaks as much to his mentality as it does to his versatility in flexing off the ball.

What they’re saying: