Breaking Down TO Barrett, Vanderbilt Basketball's Newest Addition – Sports Illustrated

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NASHVILLE—Vanderbilt basketball has another piece in a backcourt that needed one. 
Missouri guard TO Barrett has committed to Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington and company. As a result, he’s got another ballhandling and scoring option. He averaged 8.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in 2025-26 while shooting 46.0% from the field as well as 20.5% from 3-point range on 1.3 attempts per game. 
Here’s a breakdown of his skillset.
Breaking down Barrett’s game
Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington clearly wanted another ballhandler on his roster, and he got a good one with Barrett. 
Barrett was Missouri’s unlikely hero in 2025-26 and bypassed junior guard Ant Robinson en route to a starting role down the stretch of the season. When he was at his best–like he was in a 28-point performance against Tennessee and a 16-point, seven assist performance against Vanderbilt–he was more than worthy of a starting point guard role in the SEC. That generally held true throughout the season. 
Between the 20.5% 3-point percentage and the 2.1 turnovers per game, the drawbacks in Barrett’s game are clear. Barrett has enough of a positive body of work to be judged for more than just those two numbers and his scoreless performance in the Round of 32, though. 
Barrett is a capable scorer, above average driver that gets to the foul line often, respectable rebounder, makes his free throws at a rate that indicates he can become a better shooter from 3-point range and buys in on the defensive end. He’s also got nice pace, a good handle and good instincts as a passer. 
Missouri used Barrett in 20-24% of its offensive possessions and he repaid it by finishing with a national ranking in assist rate, free throw rate and steal rate. 
Perhaps in what projects to be a lower-usage role at Vanderbilt–if star guard Tyler Tanner returns to school–Barrett can take a step forward in his efficiency and turnover rate. Barrett’s trajectory of rapid year-over-year improvement in the first two seasons of his college career also indicates that he’s in line to be more effective in his junior season at Vanderbilt than he was as a sophomore at Missouri. 
At the very least, Barrett provides Vanderbilt with another ballhandler, an aggressive point of attack defender and a scorer that can pick up the slack when Byington needs him to. Barrett’s development track and ebay performances indicate that Vanderbilt is adding more than that. 
How Barrett fits 
Landing an SEC starter to fill a role that could involve him being a secondary ballhandler and a potential depth piece doesn’t sound all that bad, does it? 
This commitment is one thing if Tanner doesn’t return to school, it’s another if he’s back. If Tanner does return, Barrett would have a role similar to the one that Frankie Collins filled for this program early in the season a year ago. That’s likely the best role for him as of now. If Tanner doesn’t return, then Barrett could be a competent starter.
Vanderbilt’s system could be a better fit for Barrett’s than Missouri’s because of Vanderbilt wanting to run and opening up the floor as a result. Barrett is best when he can get downhill and create, and it appears as if he’ll be platformed to do that at Vanderbilt.
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Joey Dwyer is the lead writer on Vanderbilt Commodores On SI. He found his first love in college sports at nearby Lipscomb University and decided to make a career of telling its best stories. He got his start doing a Notre Dame basketball podcast from his basement as a 14-year-old during COVID and has since aimed to make that 14-year-old proud. Dwyer has covered Vanderbilt sports for three years and previously worked for 247 Sports and Rivals. He contributes to Seth Davis' Hoops HQ, Basket Under Review and Mainstreet Nashville.
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