Texas Longhorns Basketball

Mohamed Bamba, one of the most coveted players in the 2017 recruiting class, announced Thursday that he's planning to play college basketball at Texas.  

He posted word of his Longhorns choice on The Players' Tribune.

"Everybody's recruiting process is unique in some way, and mine was no different," Bamba wrote. "Watching my family grow and solidify its bond was by far my favorite part of the experience. The world is bigger than 94 by 50 feet, and we all agreed that Texas offers me an exceptional opportunity to blaze my own trail on the basketball front with the comfort of knowing that no matter what happens, I've got an unrivaled support network to lean on for whenever the ball stops bouncing.

"You can't put a price on that, but you can tie a lasso around it."

Bamba is a 5-star prospect who rates as the No. 2 overall recruit for 2017, according to the Scout player rankings. Texas coach Shaka Smart commented on Bamba's decision, via Scott Bell of the Dallas Morning News:

“I’m extremely excited that Mo has chosen Texas. He’s as unique a person and player as I’ve been around. Mo’s combination of talent, intellect and ability to impact others will make him a catalyst in our program and on our campus from day one.”

The Westtown School standout is already a high-quality defender, thanks to his terrific combination of size (6'11''), length and athleticism. He also has more quickness than is typical for a player with his lengthy frame, which helps on defense.

Ed Isaacson of 3PT Sports Management commented on the post player's seemingly limitless upside:

His offensive game is still a work in progress, though. He's reliable when he can get the ball around the rim, because he possesses a couple quick moves and can finish with authority. But his lack of raw strength at 215 pounds could be a problem at the collegiate level and beyond.

Adding muscle and weight will be a focus. But trying to completely change his body in a short period of time could cause him to lose some of the movement that makes him special.

He told Andrew Carter of the News & Observer in July that finding the program best matched to his game and development was crucial.

"It's very big for me," Bamba said. "Because when I was growing up as a basketball player, all I hear was the word 'potential'—potential, potential, potential. And after a while potential needs to turn into some kind of work, some kind of production."

It's hard to overstate how important a commitment this is for Smart and the Longhorns. Not only are they getting one of the best players available and somebody capable of making an instant impact, but beating out the likes of Duke and Kentucky is quite a statement.

Bamba should fit right in with a young, athletic Texas squad. In addition, he should be in line to take on an extensive role in the frontcourt right out of the gate with Jarrett Allen entering the 2017 NBA draft. 

Texas forward Jarrett Allen announced Tuesday that he will enter his name into the 2017 NBA draft process but will not hire an agent. ESPN's Jeff Borzello initially reported the news.  

"I want everyone to know that I'm testing the waters with this decision, but I will not be signing with an agent," Allen said. "Going through this process will allow my family and I to make the best decision possible for my future." 

Without an agent, Allen will have the option of returning for his sophomore season.

Considered a potential late-lottery pick, Allen averaged 13.4 points and 8.4 rebounds as a freshman. The 6'11" athlete also added 1.5 blocks per game and was clearly the most talented player on a Longhorns team that struggled its way to an 11-22 record.

Chad Ford of ESPN currently has Allen as the No. 16 overall player in the 2017 class.

Foregoing hiring an agent allows Allen to potentially return to Austin, provided he withdraws his name within 10 days after the draft combine. The NBA and NCAA worked together last year to push back the deadline to allow players maximum possible flexibility. A player can enter his name as many times as he desires as an underclassman as long as he does not have an agent but forfeits his eligibility if he hires representation.

Talented but inconsistent last season, Allen is diving headfirst into perhaps the deepest class in recent draft history. Every player in Ford's top 20 is 20 years old or younger, with 19 of those players still being teenagers. It's possible that less than five upperclassmen are drafted in the first round at all, depending on who declares.

That will make the workout process critical for Allen, who could work his way into late-lottery consideration or slide to the late first round depending on his performance. The depth of this class is likely a deciding factor in him holding off on hiring an agent at this time; he should have a much better feel of his status by mid-May.  

Texas Longhorns head basketball coach Shaka Smart announced on Monday that suspended guard Tevin Mack will be granted his release from the team, according to Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman. 

Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports and Jeff Goodman of ESPN also reported that Mack was transferring.

Mack was suspended indefinitely in January for a violation of team rules, per Jeff Borzello of ESPN.

"We have a set of standards that we expect people in our program to adhere to," Smart said at the time. "Tevin has failed to reach them."

Smart further elaborated on the decision, per Garrett Callahan of 247Sports:

It was my decision [to suspend him]. For the long term growth of our program and where we are trying to get to culture-wise it was really not much of a choice. One of the things you try to do in coaching is you try to do the best thing for the young men that you coach, but you're also trying to do the right thing for the program. Most of the time those things align with each other, but sometimes they don't. Sometimes you have to make a tough call.

Mack was also suspended for an exhibition game and the team's opening contest of the regular season for a violation of team rules.

On the court, Mack was excellent for the 10-19 Longhorns, leading the team with 14.8 points per game. The sophomore also pulled down 4.8 rebounds per contest and shot 45.9 percent from the field.

That should keep his demand high as he seeks a new school, and Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com noted Mack had previously considered Kansas, Georgia, Clemson, UCLA, West Virginia and North Carolina before joining Texas.

Bill Walton has yet another tie-dye T-shirt to add to his already extensive collection.

During the faceoff between Texas and Kansas on Saturday evening, Longhorns head football coach Tom Herman gave the basketball Hall of Famer a tie-dyed "Keep Austin Weird" shirt:

It may have been somewhat unfair for Walton to show bias toward Texas while announcing the game, but he clearly didn't give that possibility too much consideration, as he instantly put on the shirt. 

Tie-dye is his favorite color, after all. 

Texas' Jarrett Allen threw down what ESPN announcer Fran Fraschilla deemed "the dunk of the year" against West Virginia on Monday night. 

In the last three minutes of the first half, Allen completely posterized known shot-blocker and WVU forward Sagaba Konate, reaching over his head for a massive tomahawk slam.

With Texas trailing WVU 41-28, Allen's stunning slam energized his team, but the Mountaineers responded quickly before taking a 46-32 lead into halftime.

Matt Coleman, a 4-star point guard from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, committed to Texas on Monday, according to Evan Daniels of Scout. 

Coleman is ranked No. 34 overall in the class of 2017 and No. 9 among point guards, according to Scout.

Coleman spoke on his decision to join the Longhorns, per Jonathan M. Alexander of the News and Observer.

"[Head coach Shaka Smart], he’s a players’ coach, watching them play, and you’re just constantly hearing like, 'Texas needs a point guard,'" Coleman said. "'Things would be different if they had a point guard.' The way they play up and down, fast-paced, and I know the ball will be in my hand from day one.”

Coleman played for Team USA’s under-18 team last summer, where Smart was the head coach. He said he got a good feel for his playing style. Smart also recruited him when he was Virginia Commonwealth’s coach and Coleman was in eighth grade.

BR Video

The ranking site offered the following scouting report on Coleman:

Armed with quickness, speed, outstanding passing skills and top-notch ball-handling, Coleman is a true point guard who can create for himself or teammates. He has made significant progress over the past year as a transition scorer, and he already shows a penchant for running a team. He's a big-time talent and among the best guards in his class.

His coach at Oak Hill Academy, Steve Smith, further elaborated on Coleman's skill set, per Daniels:

Matt is the consummate point guard. He's a pass first guard who always is looking to make plays for his teammates. He knows when a teammate needs a touch and he has a knack for involving everyone in the offense and making each player better that he plays with. I like that he also has the ability to shoot the three and that he has a great one and two dribble pull up game.

For Texas, Coleman's signing moves the team up to No. 7 in the class of 2017 rankings, according to Daniels. He'll join 4-star shooting guard Jase Febres (No. 46 overall), 4-star center Jericho Sims (No. 47) and 4-star power forward Royce Hamm (No. 88) in what is shaping up to be an excellent class for the Longhorns and one that should make them competitive in the Big 12 next season.

Fran Fraschilla of ESPN thinks so:

And Texas has a gaping hole at point guard, which means Coleman should immediately make an impact for the team.

"It's the perfect fit," Coleman told Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com. "I'm a point guard who makes plays."

He added: "Shaka's been recruiting me since the eighth grade when he was at VCU. When he got the job at Texas, he called me right away and offered me a scholarship."

Smart's persistence paid off. And now the head coach, in just his second season at Texas, has secured a dynamic recruiting class.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

The struggling Texas Longhorns basketball team is facing another obstacle this season, as star sophomore Tevin Mack has been suspended indefinitely.

Per the Longhorn Network, Mack was suspended Thursday for an unspecified violation of team rules. 

This is not the first time Mack has been disciplined by the team and head coach Shaka Smart. He was previously suspended for the season opener, along with Kerwin Roach Jr., against Incarnate Word on Nov. 11 for violating team rules. 

After Mack's indefinite suspension, per Texas Basketball on Twitter, Smart noted there is "a set of standards that we expect people in our program to adhere to. Tevin has failed to reach them."

Mack leads the Longhorns in scoring with 14.8 points per game and ranks third with 4.8 rebounds per game. He's a strong shooter, hitting 45.9 percent of his attempts overall and team-high 39.1 percent from three-point range. 

Beginning on Saturday, Texas plays the top three teams in the Big 12: West Virginia, at Baylor and at Kansas in a span of seven days. 

Texas has lost three of its first four Big 12 games, dropping its season record to 7-9. Oklahoma is the only other team in the conference with a losing record overall. 

The Texas Longhorns announced they agreed to a contract extension through the 2022-23 season with men's basketball coach Shaka Smart on Thursday.

In his first season with the Longhorns, Smart led the program to a 20-13 record and an NCAA tournament appearance.

He originally signed a seven-year, $21.7 million deal with Texas in May 2015, per Matthew Watkins of the Texas Tribune. The extension will add an extra year to his deal and $100,000 to his base salary, per the school's release.

Texas men's athletic director Mike Perrin spoke about the extension:

Shaka has done a terrific job in all facets of building our basketball program. On the court, despite facing a lot of challenges and adversity in his first year, we showed steady progress and produced a lot of exciting moments. His outstanding recruiting, talented class of newcomers and overall development of our team in the classroom and the community has been exemplary. I'm excited about what Shaka's accomplished and look forward to seeing him lead our program in the years to come.

Smart, 39, made his name in coaching at VCU, developing the school into a mid-major powerhouse in the Colonial Athletic Association and Atlantic 10.

In 2011, he led the Rams to one of the most unlikely Final Four runs ever as a No. 11 seed that competed in the NCAA tournament's inaugural First Four:

When VCU joined the Atlantic 10 ahead of the 2012-13 season, the Rams didn't miss a beat with Smart at the helm.

Smart's teams recorded 26 or more wins in each of his six years at the school, earning five NCAA tournament berths while accruing a 163-56 record overall.

He had some big shoes to fill at Texas, though, taking over for Rick Barnes, who spent 17 seasons with the Longhorns.

Last year, Smart's job became even more difficult when he lost senior center Cameron Ridley to a foot injury for nearly three months. Regardless, the new coach set a school record with four regular-season wins over Associated Press Top 10 schools in 2015-16.

Based on his track record of success, Texas and its fans should feel secure knowing Smart is going to be the big man on campus for the next seven years.

Stats courtesy of Sports-Reference.com.

Texas Longhorns center Cameron Ridley fractured his left foot in practice Sunday, putting the remainder of his NCAA career in doubt.  

Continue for updates.

Ridley to Undergo Surgery Tuesday

Monday, Dec. 28

Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com, citing the school, passed along the news on Ridley. The senior big man has had an excellent 2015-16 campaign to date with averages of 12.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per contest.

One of the rare top-flight players of today who's stuck around for all four years of his college career, Ridley has made considerable strides and was clearly on course for his best season to date.

After serving as a starter since his freshman year and appearing in 102 games during his first three seasons with the team, this injury is a crushing blow for the 22-year-old. The Longhorns don't have anyone who can come close to emulating Ridley's impact at both ends of the floor.

In addition to his prowess as a rim protector, the 6'9", 285-pound Ridley is an imposing post presence who can wear down opposing frontcourt players and crash the glass unlike anyone else Texas has on its squad.

Chris Stone of Rush the Court weighed in on Ridley's rebounding prowess in analyzing the implications of his absence:

Senior Prince Ibeh may see an increased role since he's averaged three boards per game in an average of only 9.5 minutes of action this season. Forward Connor Lammert (5.2 RPG) is the only other Longhorns player who pulls down more rebounds per game than Ibeh.

Longhorns head coach Shaka Smart often went small and quick with his lineups at Virginia Commonwealth, so it stands to reason Texas will adopt a similar philosophy with a unique player in Ridley sidelined indefinitely.