By Aidan Joly
The Texas program is a strange one. With the resources they have they should be competing year in and year out, but they don’t. However, many key returners and an incoming star should make this season a good one for Shaka Smart and co. as the program tries to make its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2018.
The guard positions are a huge part of why Texas can succeed. Matt Coleman really stepped up at point guard last year in their first season without Kerwin Roach, averaging 12.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. A senior, he will have a huge role and be crucial to their potential wins. He had one of their biggest moments last year too, with a game-winning buzzer-beater to knock off Oklahoma in what was a must-win game.
The other guard position is occupied by Courtney Ramey. He was a major breakout player, especially down the stretch. He ended up with 10.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, including three 20+ point games in February. He is also a reliable option from three, where he shot 31.3% last year, but that was a drop from his freshman year that saw him make them at a 38.6% clip.
Off the bench is Andrew Jones, a former top-30 prospect. He came back last season after missing nearly two full seasons due to Leukemia, averaging 11.5 PPG as the sixth man in Austin, regaining his top-30 form. He will start occasionally, but expect him to have a similar role from last year.
The frontcourt is where it gets busy. Jase Febres had some injuries last year which allowed him to play in just 23 games but in that time he averaged 9.3 PPG in 30.5 minutes in a shoot-first role. He does that well, making them at 37.4% last year.
The second forward position is the one with the incoming star. They got a major prospect in five-star Greg Brown, the #9 prospect in the nation according to 247 Sports, perhaps Texas’ biggest get since some guy named Kevin Durant. The 6-9 forward will have an immediate starting role and play a lot of minutes, with a high level of skill on both sides of the ball. By the time the conference schedule begins, he should be on the floor most of the game.
The man in the middle is Jericho Sims. The 6-10 center averaged 9.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game last year in just over 27 minutes before going down with a season-ending injury in February. He explored the potential of going to the NBA, but is back for his final season. He should have a larger role as he improves his game on offense and continues his reputation as a great defender. He is a great “glue guy” for the Longhorns.
The bench is where you see a ton of depth. As for forwards you have Gerald Liddell, who played just over 18 minutes per contest over 15 games and had 4.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in that time. Kai Jones had a good freshman season that saw him average 3.6 PPG in just under 17 minutes per game, including a 20-point game in the team’s season finale against Oklahoma State, and senior Royce Hamm Jr. is expected to have a similar role to last year, a depth piece. Brock Cunningham and Donovan Williams had minimal playing time last year, but that may increase. Finally, Will Baker will spend this year being groomed to take over the role of starting center after having a small role as a freshman, averaging two points in eight minutes over 23 games. Expect him to have a larger role as he adjusts to playing more minutes.
Overall, the depth of this team, especially at the forward position, is the strong suit. Smart’s biggest challenge may be finding playing time for all of them. In a league dominated by Kansas, this is a team that has the pieces to compete for a Big 12 title and get to the NCAA Tournament.
AJ Hoops 