Mizzou's Jordan Wilmore shows progress toward potential in win over Northern Illinois

Eric Blum, Columbia Daily Tribune

November 19, 2021 at 9:30 AM·4 min read

Missouri center Jordan Wilmore dunks against Northern Illinois during the Tigers' 54-37 win Thursday at Mizzou Arena.

Jordan Wilmore barely saw the floor his first year in Columbia, but for good reason.

He was playing behind Jeremiah Tilmon, the 6-foot-10 post juggernaut, who finally quelled his foul trouble to show his true potential as a consistent force near the rim in his final season as a Tiger.

Wilmore, at 7-foot-3, was more of a raw project for Missouri back then, even though his development remains ongoing today.

He played 22 minutes in 2020-21 and had seven career points coming into Thursday night's matchup against Northern Illinois, which Missouri desperately needed to win to put Monday's debacle against Kansas City firmly in the past.

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Wilmore was instrumental offensively for the Tigers, finishing the game with 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting and six rebounds in Missouri's 54-37 victory over Northern Illinois.

Missouri improved to 2-1 and will head on the road for the first time this season for its next game, as part of the Jacksonville Classic, against Southern Methodist on Sunday.

Wilmore got his second start of the season and saw the floor for only 16 minutes. His four two-handed dunks that shook the backboard gave life to Missouri's offense in a game where scoring was at a premium.

"It opened up everything," Tigers guard DaJuan Gordon said of Wilmore's involvement. "He's 7-foot-3. He intimidates people down there. So him just posting up gets people open. He was tremendous today, career high.

"Just him being out there changed the whole game. It's a big body out there. Rebounds, layups, everything."

More: Five questions Cuonzo Martin and Mizzou basketball will answer this season

Missouri head coach Cuonzo Martin was candid about Wilmore's progress since joining the Tigers.

When the Columbia, Maryland, native arrived in Boone County, Martin knew there would be time to groom Wilmore before he stepped into the limelight. In year No. 2, Wilmore is the third-longest-tenured Tiger, a role that leads to more responsibility and playing time.

"Truthfully, I'm not sure if he learned a lot playing behind Jeremiah. I said it respectfully because I'm not sure he believed in who he is," Martin said of Wilmore. "I think it was OK that Jeremiah played all those minutes because he's a talented player.

"Jeremiah was probably one of his biggest cheerleaders, too, wanted to see him do well. But I think it's just Jordan understanding that, 'I can be just as good as any big guy.' But you have to believe that. You have to put a tremendous amount of hours into it, exhausting hours. You've got to get consumed with it, and I think he's probably 75% there."

In being only three-quarters complete, Wilmore's progression could be seen before fans' very eyes throughout this season.

"I haven't seen it yet. I think he's still getting there," Martin said of a light-bulb moment for Wilmore. "I think there's a ways to go, and I say that respectfully because it'll get to a point where he starts coaching me.

"... The next step is you have to tell me what the next thing to do is. And I think that's the growth because he's an intelligent guy. He understands, he's a physical presence. But he has to love it. He has to fall in love with it. And I think, again, probably 75% there.

"Once he gets to 100%, he'll be a special talent."

Even though Missouri's offense looked sluggish for long portions of Thursday's game, the Tigers ended the game on a 24-6 run, clicking in large part due to Wilmore and Kobe Brown.

Brown finished the night with a game-high 13 points, adding 13 rebounds, six assists and four blocks.

Compared to Wilmore, Brown was thrown into the fire from his arrival in Columbia, starting 55 of Missouri's games since the beginning of the 2019-20 season.

Wilmore is growing, and he can feel it. A night like this against the Huskies could be a turning point for raising his 75% development rate closer to the full thing.

"It definitely can prove my ability to myself. I think mainly it was just a mind thing," Wilmore said. "I just had to believe in myself. So it's definitely going to boost my confidence going (forward). ... I've just got to keep it up."

Contact Eric Blum at eblum@columbiatribune.com. Follow @ByEricBlum on Twitter.

Follow Mizzou basketball with the Tribune’s Tiger Extra newsletter. For more of the Tribune's Missouri athletics coverage, purchase a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Mizzou's Jordan Wilmore closes on potential in win over Northern Illinois

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