Colorado State transfer Anthony Masinton-Bonner leaves Missouri State men's basketball team

The Missouri State men's basketball roster should finally be locked into place for this upcoming season

Missouri State announced Colorado State transfer Anthony Masinton-Bonner has "retired" from the men's basketball team.

Masinton-Bonner joined the Bears basketball team earlier in the summer as a graduate transfer.

“We wish Anthony all the best,” second-year coach Dana Ford said in a release. “We commend him for making the best decision for his future, and we know he will be successful in all his endeavors.”

MISSOURI STATE BASKETBALL COVERAGE

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“Thank you, Missouri State, for believing in me and making me feel a part of something special,” Masinton-Bonner added in the release. “In my short time with the program, I am absolutely grateful for the experience and wish the guys and the staff nothing but the best.”

Following Missouri State's announcement, Masinton-Bonner tweeted from his private Twitter account that he "simply did not enjoy or love playing the game anymore" while calling it a "personal decision" that had nothing to do with MSU.

Masinton-Bonner joined the Bears after averaging 12.2 points and 2.4 rebounds in 2018-19 with 16 starts. He made 44% of his 3-pointers and converted 88.2% from the free-throw line during his redshirt-junior year. 

Missouri State basketball player Anthony Masinton-Bonner shoots a basket during practice on Wednesday, July 17, 2019.

The move puts Missouri State at 13 scholarship players for this upcoming season.

Missouri State needed to make a move following the signing of Ford Cooper — a four-star point guard who reclassified to play for the Bears in 2019-20. 

The Bears will have eight new names on the active roster including four Division I transfers. Tyrik Dixon and Josh Hall sat out a season ago to satisfy NCAA transfer requirements while Lamont West (West Virginia) transferred to MSU this offseason. 

MSU adds four freshmen in Cooper, Isiaih Mosley, Ja'Monta Black and Tyem Freeman. The Bears also add juco transfer Gaige Prim. 

Returning scholarship players include Keandre Cook, Kabir Mohammed, Tulio Da Silva, Jared Ridder and Darian Scott. 

Missouri State opens its season with an exhibition game on Oct. 30 at JQH Arena against Washington University (St. Louis). The regular season begins Nov. 5 with a home game against Little Rock. 

The Bears are expected to be the favorites to win the Missouri Valley Conference going into this season. 

2019-20 MISSOURI STATE BASKETBALL ROSTER

  • Keandre Cook, Sr., SF
  • Kabir Mohammed, Sr., SF
  • Tulio Da Silva, Sr., PF
  • Lamont West, Sr., F
  • Josh Hall, Jr., SG
  • Tyrik Dixon, Jr., PG
  • Gaige Prim, Jr., F
  • Jared Ridder, So., SF
  • Darian Scott, So, C
  • Ja'Monta Black, Fr., SG
  • Tyem Freeman, Fr., SF
  • Isiaih Mosley, Fr., SG
  • Ford Cooper, Fr., PG
  • Ross Owens, Sr., SG
  • Spencer Brown, Jr. G

BOLD: Non-scholarship player