Shawn Phillips Jr. signed his first professional contract on Thursday as the Mizzou men’s basketball center officially joined the New Orleans Pelicans.
Phillips started 31 games for the Tigers during the 2026-27 campaign, averaging 7.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He also ranked fifth in the SEC and 69th nationally with 1.52 blocks per game, while his field-goal mark of 68.3 percent ranks as the second-best clip in school history.
In 106 collegiate games, Phillips totaled 561 points, 442 rebounds and 114 blocks.
Phillips joins Mark Mitchell as Tigers to sign with NBA teams following the 2025-26 campaign as Mitchell joined the Denver Nuggets earlier on Thursday. The duo becomes the sixth and seventh players to sign with NBA franchises in four years under Whitten Family Head Coach Dennis Gates.
