Pinson entered his name into the NBA draft pool last year before deciding to return to Mizzou for his junior season, though late into the summer Mizzou’s staff was unsure of his plans. Each of the past two offseasons he had posted cryptic messages on his social media accounts causing fans, media and sometimes his coaches to wonder if he’d rejoin the team.
This past season, Pinson showed flashes of becoming a consistent high-scoring point guard. His 36 points in an overtime win over TCU were the most for any Southeastern Conference player during the regular season. But midway through conference play, his production dropped off — especially his willingness to attack the rim and earn visits to the free throw line — and Martin’s frustration with his decision-making and defense became apparent.
Asked what Pinson needed to improve after a loss at Georgia on Feb. 16, Martin said, “Strong drives, stuff we talk about all the time, strong defense. Execute what we’re trying to do as a point guard. He’s one of the experienced guys in our program. … It’s nothing different than what I talk about all the time.”
Pinson’s play bottomed out in a Feb. 23 loss to Mississippi, when he matched his lowest scoring game of the year with two points on 1-of-9 shooting. He was on the bench for an entire 15-2 run that got the Tigers back in the game but returned for the final minutes when the Tigers struggled to gain ground on the Rebels.
