COLUMBIA, Mo. - Ryan Rosburg got to know Kim Anderson while attending team camps at the University of Central Missouri during his high-school career at Marquette in St. Louis.
The 6-foot-10 Missouri sophomore didn't think he would be playing for the former Mules coach years down the road.
"I think he knew at the time that I was not going to go (to Central Missouri), but he would always say stuff to my coach that when all these big-time coaches quit calling me he would be happy to have me," Rosburg said.
Now Anderson, who was hired Monday as the Missouri men's basketball coach, will get his wish.
Rosburg is pretty happy with the way things worked out, too.
"I've had so many people I have played with play for him, and they only tell good stories about him," he said. "They love playing for him. Sometimes, when a coach leaves it's easy to be like, "Oh, that guy left us, he didn't do anything for me.' They were so complimentary and just thrilled for him to get this opportunity because they know he deserves it."
Anderson spent 12 seasons as the head coach at Central Missouri, where he compiled 274-94 record. The 58-year-old from Sedalia, who also played and was an assistant under former Missouri head coach Norm Stewart, most recently led the Mules to a Division II national championship in March.
Anderson replaces Frank Haith, now the head coach at Tulsa after compiling a 76-28 record in three seasons at Missouri.
"Coach Haith recruited me for a year, a year and a half, so I have a big relationship with him," Rosburg said. "It's kind of different when someone new comes in, but I've been lucky enough to have known (Anderson) for a little while and know what he's about. It's not like it's a random person coming in. I know what to expect and know what he needs."
Rosburg relayed that message to his teammates when they met Monday, and also praised the style of basketball Central Missouri plays - especially in its most recent season. The Mules went 30-5 during the 2013-14 campaign, averaging 80.6 points per game and limiting opponents to 68.5.
"They play the right way, I would say," Rosburg said. "They play together, they share the ball and just play hard. I think that's what we need."
Anderson hopes to bring that style of play - the same style he learned under Stewart - to Missouri again.
"When I arrived at Central Missouri 12 years ago, I saw a program with great tradition and great support, but it was searching for an identity," Anderson said during a press conference Tuesday. "Today, I see something very similar at Missouri. We have all the ingredients to compete at the highest levels, and play championship basketball. We just have to get everyone moving in the same direction again and bring back the principles of teamwork, team-first basketball, defense and passion that made us so successful."
Last season, Missouri ranked No. 5 in the Southeastern Conference in scoring offense (72.9 ppg) and No. 8 in scoring defense (69.7 ppg). The Tigers were 23-12 overall and 9-9 in the SEC, but ended up falling to Southern Mississippi in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament.
"We're going to try and guard somebody," Anderson said. "I want our guys to push the basketball. I want them to play with pace but be efficient."
Skeptics of Anderson still wonder about his age, his ability to recruit, and his coaching experience at the Division I level. Anderson addressed those concerns Tuesday.
Recruiting might be the biggest question, but Anderson was quick to note how he won a national championship with 10 new recruits last season.
"We recruited at a high level because people trusted us with their sons and players," he said. "We recruited Division I caliber players at Central Missouri. Because of relationships and connections, we won a lot of games against very good coaches and players."
He's already won support from his current players, who downplayed the notion of Anderson coming from a Division II program.
"If you can coach, you can coach," Rosburg said. "We have great players here and I know he will hire a great coaching staff. I'm not worried about it. You can see what he has done by looking at his track record. He's going to get us playing together, and give us what we need."
Added Missouri junior Keanau Post: "He has a lot of experience, so next year is going to be positive. Nobody's got anything negative to say, but like I said earlier, I think it's going to take a little while for everybody to fully commit themselves to what's going on. It's a new scenario, it's a new situation."
It didn't take long for Anderson to get to work after discovering he had been offered the job Monday afternoon. Missouri announced Wednesday assistant coach Tim Fuller would stay with the Tigers and one of its top commitments, Jakeenan Gant, reportedly will stick with Missouri, too.
Gant, named Mr. Georgia Basketball as a senior last season, confirmed to PowerMizzou he still wants to wear the Black and Gold.
Fuller was an associate head coach under Haith the last two seasons, but did not follow Haith to Tulsa. He served as interim head coach when Haith was suspended for the first five games last season and was the interim coach until Anderson was hired.
"Tim has displayed incredible character and loyalty to Mizzou during the transition and demonstrated from our first meeting his commitment and passion for our student-athletes and Mizzou Basketball," Anderson said in a statement.
Anderson will still have challenges ahead of him.
Missouri loses its top three scorers from last season in Jabari Brown, Jordan Clarkson and Earnest Ross. Brown and Clarkson will forgo their senior seasons after declaring for the NBA draft in April, while Ross has extinguished all of his eligibility.
"I don't really ever try to use the word rebuilding, hopefully it is a reloading," Anderson said. "Obviously we lost a lot of players, and some really key players. We have some great young men. I'm looking forward to getting to know them better, to work with them, getting to watch them play. I think we will have a good basketball team, and we're not done recruiting yet either."