In the least shocking development of Missouri basketball's transcendent offseason, Jontay Porter verbally committed Monday to new coach Cuonzo Martin's program.
His older brother, Michael Porter Jr., signed with the Tigers in April and his father, Michael Porter Sr., joined Martin's staff in March.
It was widely assumed Jontay Porter eventually would join his family _ including older sisters, Bri and Cierra Porter, who are members of the Mizzou women's basketball team _ in black and gold.
Jontay Porter could graduate early from high school and join the team in the fall or could be the first piece in the 2018 recruiting class.
As a sophomore in 2015-16, Porter averaged 11.8 points with 7.8 rebounds for Missouri Class 3 state champion Father Tolton Catholic High in Columbia.
When Michael Sr. accepted an assistant coaching job on the staff of his sons' godfather, Lorenzo Romar, at the University of Washington, Jontay Porter and Michael Jr. relocated to Seattle.
Jontay Porter averaged 14.3 points and 13.6 rebounds as a junior at Nathan Hale High, which won a mythical national championship after finishing 29-0 and winning the Washington Class 3A state title in March.
He's continued to rocket up 2018 recruiting rankings with a series of strong performance this spring with Kansas City-based Mokan Elite on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League circuit.
Through 12 EYBL games, Jontay Porter is averaging 18.1 points with 12.7 rebounds, 2.9 blocks and 2.4 assists while also shooting 40 percent from 3-point range, connecting on 24 of 60 attempts from deep.
Jontay Porter (6-10, 240) is listed as a five-star power forward by 247 Sports and Rivals, while Scout pegs him as a four-star power forward and ESPN as a four-star center.
Among current 2018 recruits, he's ranked No. 10 overall by Rivals, No. 18 by 247 Sports, No. 26 by ESPN and No. 43 by Scout.
If Jontay Porter decides to reclassify and enroll at Missouri in the fall, he further cements the incoming recruiting class as the best in program history.
It already includes Porter Jr., Richland (Texas) Hills combo guard C.J. Roberts, Word of Christian Academy point guard Blake Harris from Raleigh, N.C., and East St. Louis (Ill.) center Jeremiah Tilmon along with Canisius shooting guard Kassius Robertson, a graduate transfer.
If Jontay Porter stays in high school, he becomes the centerpiece as new coach Cuonzo Martin tries to follow-up on this spring's program-changing haul.
The Tigers have one scholarship available for 2017-18 after redshirt forward Jakoby Kemp decided last week to transfer.
