Texas basketball will look to its recruiting class filled with talent from all around the country, including some of the best players from last year.
After an utterly embarrassing finish to last season losing to 14 seeded ACU in the first round, Texas looks to bounce back by replacing Shaka Smart with one of the best coaches in college basketball with Chris Beard. This year longhorn nation expects a lot more as they should because Texas floors an incredibly deep roster with tremendous talent. Although they lose four key contributors in Matt Coleman, Jericho Sims, Greg Brown, and Kai Jones Texas should be ready to take on all challengers.
Projected Rotation
PG: Marcus Carr (6-2, 190, Gr.-Sr.)
2021 stats: 19.4 points, 4.9 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals (Minnesota)
Projected stats: 16.0 points, 5.2 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals
SG: Courtney Ramey (6-3, 185, Sr.)
2021 stats: 12.2 points, 3.9 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.0 steals
Projected stats: 10.9 points, 3.4 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 0.7 steals
SF: Andrew Jones (6-4, 190, Sr.)
2021 stats: 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steals
Projected stats: 11.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.0 steals
PF: Dylan Disu (6-9, 225, Jr.)
2021 stats: 15.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.2 blocks, 1.1 steals (Vanderbilt)
Projected stats: 10.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.1 blocks, 0.9 steals
C: Tre Mitchell (6-9, 220, Jr.)
2021 stats: 18.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 blocks, 1.2 steals (UMass)
Projected stats: 11.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 blocks, 1.0 steals
6: Christian Bishop (6-7, 220, Sr.)
2021 stats: 11.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 blocks, 0.7 steals (Creighton)
Projected stats: 7.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.7 blocks, 0.5 steals
7: Timmy Allen (6-6, 210, Sr.)
2021 Stats: 17.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.3 steals (Nebraska)
Projected Stats: 10.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steals
8: Jase Febres (6-5, 190, Sr.)
2021 Stats: 5.2 points, 1.5 rebounds
Projected Stats: 4.8 points, 1.2 rebounds
9: Devin Askew (6-3, 195, So.)
2021 Stats: 6.5 points, 2.9 assists, 2.6 rebounds (Kentucky)
Projected Stats: 4.0 points, 1.7 assists, 1.3 rebounds
10: Jaylon Tyson (6-7, 210, Fr.)
247Sports #35 overall rated recruit
Projected Stats: 2.7 points, 1.2 rebounds, 0.5 assists
Team MVP: Marcus Carr
Carr after transferring from Minnesota could’ve been the guy so to speak anywhere he went but he chose to lead the Longhorns and it looks like that may have been the right choice seeing as he’s one of the players who are expected to compete for the Naismith Award. With a completely different team around him, Carr looks to finally have a shot at winning something for the first time in his collegiate career and he wants to hop on that as soon as possible.
Also, why not a little shoutout to Chris Beard as the Co-Team MVP? The fact that he was able to land this good of a transfer class can’t be overlooked.
Make or Break Player: All of the Transfers
With Texas basketball having nine new faces and eight of them being transfers, the one thing on everyone’s mind is how will the chemistry be built in such a short amount of time. If all of the all-conference talents can learn to take fewer shots per game this Texas basketball team will be set en route to the Final Four.
It’d be one thing to bring in Marcus Carr OR Dylan Disu, but adding Tre Mitchell, Christian Bishop, Timmy Allen AND Devin Askew might be the best transfer class in college hoops history.
Bench Rating: 10/10
Texas hoops may have the deepest team in college basketball history. Seven players who could be a starter on a good amount of power conference teams that will be sitting on the bench. Some of them not even getting in games depending on how close they are. Beard hit the portal hard and didn’t even look back. This Longhorns team could field two power six capable starting lineups with the players they have on their roster.
Analytic to know: Speed
All of the players in the NCAA are ultra-athletic but Texas basketball beats them all with their stamina. Texas basketball is a well-conditioned team who will have little to no problem getting back up the court especially because they aren’t playing a lot of bigger guys at a time. The speed of guys like Carr and Jones will be a key factor.
Team Outlook
Games against Arkansas, Gonzaga, Seton Hall and Tennessee give the Longhorns some serious tests before the Big 12 schedule starts. However, this team is a national contender to start so it’s more so of a test for their opponents. Texas will be favorites in most of these games.
Y’all ready? 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/0gPWbf9bjg
— Texas Men’s Basketball (@TexasMBB) September 8, 2021
Texas basketball has been an up and down team but they are trending more upwards than almost ever. The Longhorns very easily could win the national championship as long as they get through the top-heavy hell that is the Big12. Coach Beard knows what he’s doing and for sure will not lose in the first round this year. An incredibly well-rounded team the Longhorns are going to fight all season.
Projected Conference Finish: 1st in Big 12
Projected Post Season Finish: NCAA Tournament National Championship Appearance
Ceiling: NCAA Tournament National Champions