Bryson Tiller spent part of his weekend giving back in the same city where he grew up, then turned right back to the bigger picture at Missouri.
The Atlanta native hosted a back-to-school giveaway on Saturday at the Lucious Sanders Recreation Center in Lithonia, Ga., handing out school supplies and haircuts to local students. Tiller said the location carried real meaning for him because it was the place where he spent time as a kid.
"My mom and dad actually handled a great portion of it. They reached out to Willie Anderson, who used to play for the Spurs.
So they kind of got everything together," Tiller said. "It's always been something that's important to me, just being able to give back to the place where you grew up and was raised by.
It's a blessing in itself."
Once the community event wrapped up, the focus shifted back to basketball and a summer that has already asked plenty of Tiller. He spent the offseason working with Mizzou after transferring in from Kansas, adjusting to a new program, a new staff and a new group of teammates.
At 6-foot-11, Tiller is part of a revamped frontcourt that also includes Tennessee transfer Jaylen Carey, five-star freshman Toni Bryant and returning pieces Trent Pierce and Trent Burns. From what he’s seen so far, he likes the shape of this roster.
"We're a very versatile team. We have guys that can shoot the ball, guys who can rebound and defend.
So the combination of that alone, with our discipline and our execution on offense, will help us win a lot of games," Tiller said. "I feel like we're a very physical team, and that, mixed with our skill sets, I feel like we're gonna have a great advantage in the majority of our games going against other opponents.
I feel like we put the work in, and as long as we stay disciplined and connected, then there's not a game that we can't win."
Tiller also said this summer has helped him grow individually, especially in the areas of leadership and confidence.
"(I've gotten better at) leadership and just being able to trust in my game, trust in myself. Coach Dennis Gates has given me the platform to do so, so I'm just excited to take advantage of that," Tiller said.
"Everybody says winning the national championship (is the goal). But I do feel like this team has the potential to do so."
Tiller and the 2026-27 Tigers are scheduled to open Oct. 23 with an exhibition game at Kansas State.
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