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Missouri guard Cullen VanLeer is retiring from basketball after tearing the ACL in his right knee in the Tigers' final regular-season game last season. VanLeer made 33 starts in three seasons for Missouri, including the last 10 before his injury, and scored 378 points. He will stay on scholarship with a medical exemption, allowing Missouri to add another scholarship player in the upcoming season. A holdover from Kim Anderson's tenure as Missouri coach, VanLeer saw his role initially diminished when coach Cuonzo Martin took over the program last season but returned to the starting lineup after Jordan Geist was benched and Terrence Phillips was dismissed from the team.  His absence was felt in the NCAA tournament as Missouri had just seven scholarship players, including a hobbled Michael Porter Jr, and lost their opening game to Florida State. "Cullen is a special young man and I admire his work ethic and his willingness to do everything in his power to better our program," Martin said. "I appreciate his contributions to the team and I know his leadership will be a significant asset for us during the upcoming season. I look forward to seeing him walk across the stage with a degree in hand in May."
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