Anderson Capitalizing on Family Ties Again?

A glance at Missouri’s recent recruiting reveals Mike Anderson's vast array of connections in the hoops community. Of MU's six recruits this year, three already had relationships with Anderson: the coach has known Laurence Bowers since infanthood, played juco ball against Kim English’s father and has known Keith Ramsey for years. Could the next family tie be Cushing Academy (MA) star Phil Pressey?

----- EDITOR'S NOTE: This is yet another free sample of the top-notch coverage offered by InsideMizzou.com and Inside Mizzou Magazine. An annual subscription gets you full access to our premium coverage and Insider's posting forum, 10 issues of Inside Mizzou Magazine and a year's subscription to Sports Illustrated. Subscribe now and see why we're getting rave reviews from Mizzou diehards! -----

If you talk to those around the touted sophomore, whose father played with Anderson at Tulsa and whom Anderson’s known since Pressey was six months old, the answer is that it’s quite possible.

Anderson and the Presseys “are very close,” said Leo Papile of Team BABC, the AAU program for which Pressey plays. “The relationship is very strong. I talked to Mike Anderson about it a while ago. They call him ‘Uncle Mike.’ The relationship's very strong on the mom’s side as well; the mother is very close with Anderson’s wife.”

Phil Pressey’s father is Paul Pressey, who went on to have a successful NBA career after playing with Anderson under Nolan Richardson. His eldest son, Matt Pressey, is 6-foot-2 senior who for a while appeared a possible member of MU’s 2008 recruit, but will most likely end up at a lower level Division I program. It seems the chances are far greater for Phil, a 5-foot-8, 140-point point guard, to become a Tiger.

Phil Pressey attended Mizzou’s Elite Camp this past summer and was one of the most impressive players there despite being a rising sophomore at the time.

“The guy just flat out gets it done,” said Cushing Academy coach Barry Connors. “He’s really cerebral, he just creates. He can really get inside for a guy his size and take contact. It’s unbelievable.”

As a freshman playing against competition featuring dozens of Division I prospects, Pressey averaged 11.1 points per game, 3.3 rebounds and 8.2 assists.

“He has great court vision. I have never seen someone at his age control the game like him,” Connors said.

Mizzou has already been in to see Pressey twice this in the past two weeks and has verbally offered him. He also has offer from Maryland, Georgia and Louisville, along with interest from Connecticut and Texas. His recruitment is wide open, as expected with such a young player. But it will be a battle for his signature.

“He’s quick and tough, and he can play at a high-major level. If he ever becomes a defender, he might be able to continue to play the game after college,” said Leo Papile of the Boston Amateur Basketball Club, the AAU program for which Pressey plays.

Pressey’s parents are trying to keep the hype down and are focusing on finding a school for Matt, so Phil isn’t doing interviews yet. But according to Connors, Pressey is a Big 12 fan and has expressed a lot of interest in getting away from home and going to college somewhere in this part of the country.

“I know the relationship with [Mike Anderson and] his dad is big,” Connors added.

InsideMizzou.com will keep you posted…