COLUMBIA, Mo. -- An hour and a half before tipoff of Missouri's final home game of the regular season against Arkansas, Michael Porter Jr. was alone on one side of the court, putting up shots in a mostly empty arena. A few early-bird fans snapped photos of him with their camera phones while more than a few reporters stood with their arms folded, stern looks across their faces, trying to decipher the readiness of one of the most talented college basketball players on the planet.
It was impossible to overlook the star freshman who had been mostly missing since November.