Indiana’s December trip to Missouri just became a lot more interesting.
The Hoosiers are already set to meet the Tigers on Dec. 18 as part of their non-conference schedule for the 2026-27 season, and Missouri’s offseason is pushing that matchup into a tougher lane. The Tigers, who went 20- games and earned a No. 10 seed in last season’s NCAA Tournament, have been drawing plenty of attention this summer. That buzz picked up again this week with reports that head coach Dennis Gates is in position to add another 5th-year player: former Hoosier CJ Gunn.
For Indiana fans, Gunn is a familiar name. The Indianapolis native came out of Lawrence North High School and arrived in Bloomington as part of the 2022 recruiting class.
He spent two seasons with the Hoosiers, appearing in 49 games, all off the bench, under head coach Mark Woodson. In that stretch, he averaged 3.1 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.5 assists while logging 10.7 minutes per game.
After the 2023-24 season, Gunn moved on to DePaul, where his role grew considerably. Over two seasons with the Blue Demons, he played in 64 games and made 44 starts, posting 13.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
His path after college was brief. Gunn took part in pre-draft workouts with the Pacers and Warriors, went undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft, then signed with the Calgary Surge of the CBA. He appeared in two games before being released.
His route back to college basketball is where things get messy. According to 247Sports, Gunn is currently a plaintiff in a Dallas County lawsuit in Texas and was granted a temporary restraining order to enter the transfer portal on Aug.
- He played four seasons in four years, never signed an NBA contract and never appeared in an NBA Summer League game, all of which help his case for eligibility.
Still, the situation is not fully settled, and that uncertainty is part of the wider eligibility confusion hanging over the 2026-27 season. Court cases around the country have created constant movement and little clarity for the NCAA. Gunn’s return to college is not locked in, but it appears to be moving in that direction.
If it does happen, Missouri’s roster gets even more dangerous. Mark Mitchell is already back after a season in which he averaged 18.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists, earned Second Team All-SEC honors and established himself as one of the league’s best players. Add Gunn to that mix, and Indiana’s December date with the Tigers looks a lot more demanding for Darian DeVries and company.
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