Missouri basketball’s newest 7-footer is ... actually the new assistant coach

A predictably busy offseason continues for Dennis Gates and company, now with the addition of a familiar face to his staff.

Mizzou basketball announced the hiring of Rob Summers to Gates’ coaching staff on Tuesday. Summers’ most recent stop was a two-season stint at Miami (Ohio) as associate head coach. He also worked with Gates as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator at Cleveland State.

“I’m incredibly honored and excited to join Coach Gates’ staff at the University of Missouri,” Summers said in a Mizzou Athletics release. “It is a dream come true to be a part of such a prestigious program with a rich tradition. I can’t wait to get to work with the talented student-athletes and staff at Mizzou.”

Summers will work directly with Mizzou’s post players.

“As somebody who specializes in post development, Rob is the perfect piece to round out our coaching staff,” Gates said in a release. “Very few coaches have frontcourt-playing experience, and his knowledge and ability to teach the position will no doubt elevate our program. As our top assistant coach at Cleveland State, he has familiarity with our system and was behind all of our success at CSU.”

Summers fills his new position as former assistant coach Dickey Nutt transitions to the role of assistant to the head coach and senior advisor while undergoing cancer treatments.

While Summers coached under Gates at Cleveland State, the team won two regular-season Horizon League titles and earned an NCAA tournament berth in 2021. Current Mizzou assistants Matt Cline and Ryan Sharbaugh were also part of Gates’ staff at Cleveland State.

Summers also has prior coaching experience at James Madison and Division II Urbana (Ohio), as well as experience as a director of operations at JMU and associate head coach and compliance coordinator at Glenville State.

In his collegiate career, Summers, listed at 7-feet tall, was a center who helped lead West Virginia to a Sweet Sixteen appearance and the 2007 NIT title in his final year after transferring from Penn State.

“Rob has continued to grow as a coach, as he spent the last two seasons as associate head coach at Miami, helping turn that program into a MAC contender,” Gates said. “He is without a doubt a future head coach and we look forward to him joining our program as we strive to win championships in the classroom, on the court and in the community.”