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Head coach Shaka Smart has Texas basketball threatening the Big 12’s powers.
This is the year where we could see how Shaka Smart’s strategy truly looks. After last season’s heartbreaking loss in the NCAA Tournament, he lost six contributors to graduation and the NBA. Those six guys took almost 62 percent of the scoring and 57 percent of the rebounds with them.
The 2016-17 roster will revolve around three big time sophomores and a recruiting class that includes three players in ESPN’s top 100 and two McDonald’s All Americans.
A few seniors remain that will help provide stability and experience, which is key to balancing out so much youth. Those that remain aren’t overwhelming talents, but they have proven to be consistent and tough. That will surely be needed at some point through the year.
Even if the young guns star most nights, there are a couple upperclassmen that should get decent playing time.
Injuries forced the Longhorns into a rotation that saw 11 guys play in at least 13 of the team’s games last season. This includes starting center Cameron Ridley, who had been dominant early but only played 13 games in his senior year because of a foot problem.
The Texas rotation will still be deep, but more like 9-10 guys this season.
Mar 18, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; The Texas Longhorns mascot Bevo dances in the first half against the Northern Iowa Panthers during the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Point guard: Andrew Jones
Point guard play is a huge part of coach Shaka Smart’s system. Isaiah Taylor was great last season and replacing him this year is a huge priority. If Smart goes based on potential, then Andrew Jones out of Irving, TX could get the nod at the lead guard position.
The 6’4″, 195 pound freshman was one of the most highly sought after players in the 2016 class. He is rated in the top 10 for shooting guards on basically every recruiting list.
Because of his athletic potential, he might slide over to give the Longhorns a big, dynamic threat at the point.
Freshman are hard to predict, but expect minutes in the 20-23 range with 7-9 points a night. If he struggles to distribute or make good shots, his backup could take over for long stretches.
Feb 8, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Isaiah Cousins (11) dribbles the ball as Texas Longhorns guard Kendal Yancy (5) defends during the second half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Backup point guard: Kendal Yancy
Senior Kendal Yancy is far from the athletic presence the Longhorns would like directing their team, but he has a wealth of knowledge regarding Big 12 opponents thanks to three years in the program. He also has the most total career starts, total assists and highest 3-point percentage of anyone returning.
These are qualities that could earn him a starting spot if Andrew Jones struggles early.
The 6’3″, 210 pound senior averaged just 3.0 points and 1.8 rebounds in 10.5 minutes an evening in 2015-16. He is by far the least productive of the players back, but three years on the team gives him the experience and consistency younger guys can’t equal.
Whatever his role, put Yancy down for 3-6 points, two rebounds, and two assists in 12-15 minutes.
Mar 4, 2016; Stillwater, OK, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Jeff Newberry (22) reaches for the ball as Texas Longhorns guard Kerwin Roach Jr. (12) drives to the basket during the first half at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports
Shooting guard: Kerwin Roach Jr.
Kerwin Roach Jr. is the first of the Longhorns’ three talented sophomores. He is the squad’s leading returning scorer and assist man. Roach has an inside track to start at either shooting guard or small forward. He’ll play an important role throughout the year as the team’s most athletic returning threat.
At 6’4″, 170 pounds, Roach is a bit undersized defensively, but has tons of potential.
He averaged 7.5 points, 2.9 boards and 1.2 assists in just under 18 minutes a game last year. Roach struggled early, but ended the season with six double digit scoring performances in 13 games.
I’ll pencil the sophomore in for a big boost in production; 12-14 points, 4-5 rebounds and 1-3 assists in 22-27 minutes an evening as one of the team’s bigger offensive threats.
Jan 20, 2016; Morgantown, WV, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Eric Davis Jr. (10) drives to the basket during the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers at the WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Small forward: Eric Davis Jr.
Eric Davis Jr. is the second member of the Texas sophomore trio. He comes into the year as the second-leading returning scorer right behind Roach. Davis is also the best three point shooter on the squad aside from Kendal Yancy.
Big things could be coming for this second year player out of Saginaw, MI.
The 6’2″, 185 pound gunner doesn’t have the height to guard traditional swing men, so if does play small forward, I would expect a defensive scheme that hides such deficiencies.
Davis averaged 7.4 points and 2.4 rebounds a night last year. He also shot 38 percent from range, giving the Longhorns a deadly athletic trio alongside Andrew Jones and Kerwin Roach Jr.
Put Davis down for 22-26 minutes an evening with 12-14 points and 4-5 rebounds.
Nov 21, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Arkansas Little Rock Trojans forward Mareik Isom (14) celebrates after the Trojans beat the San Diego State Aztecs 49-43 at Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Backup small forward: Mareik Isom
Mareik Isom is a graduate transfer from Arkansas-Little Rock. He adds size and another three point threat to the Texas’ rotation.
The 6’9″, 215 pound senior averaged 5.9 points and 2.7 rebounds last season. Isom has all the attributes to be a starting swing man, but a lack of defensive experience from his time in the Sun Belt likely relegates him to an important bench role.
He will be used heavily to screen other guards, drain threes over slow defensive rotations and provide occasional mismatches at the power forward position. Expect something like 6-9 points and two boards in 20-24 minutes an evening.
Feb 1, 2016; Waco, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Shaquille Cleare (32) reacts during the first half against the Baylor Bears at Ferrell Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Power forward: Shaquille Cleare
Shaq Cleare is clearly the enforcer for this year’s Texas basketball roster. Never an offensive showstopper, Cleare is easily the most physically imposing presence on the Longhorns’ team. Look for him to play an important defensive role for a squad that will rely heavily on youth in the front court.
Cleare is listed at an imposing 6’8″, 285 pounds. He contributed 3.6 points and 2.9 boards in only 12 minutes per game in 2015-16. He is also the only returning regular player taller than 6’6″.
Because of his offensive limitations, Cleare might not get much more time than his career average of 12.6 minutes per game.
He will still see a decent amount of time alongside the young Longhorns up front though. 13-16 minutes, 4-5 points and 3-5 rebounds are solid projections for the senior.
Dec 4, 2015; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Tevin Mack (0) drives against Samford Bulldogs forward Matt Rose (12) during the first half at the Frank Erwin Special Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports
Utility forward: Tevin Mack
Sophomore Tevin Mack is the third dynamic second year player expected to lead this team in the Big 12.
He has tons of offensive potential, but struggled on defense his first year. This puts him in a position to either start or rotate anywhere from shooting guard to power forward.
Mack has great size at 6’6″, 210 pounds. The Columbia, SC native put up 5.1 points and 2.0 rebounds in 13 minutes of work last year. He shot a paltry 30 percent from deep and just 29 percent overall.
The sophomore had a few nice bursts, but a big jump in efficiency is needed if he wants to keep up with his more explosive counterparts. I’m projecting Mack to average somewhere between 6-8 points and 3-5 boards in his sophomore campaign. A minutes boost into the 15-22 neighborhood is also possible.
Mar 11, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; The Texas Longhorns cheerleaders signal during a free throw on the sidelines against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the first round of the Big 12 Championship at the Sprint Center. Texas won 65-53. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Center: Jarrett Allen
Jarrett Allen is the perfect big for Shaka Smart to build around going forward. The number one center in the country was a huge priority for UT’s staff as he is a hometown kid. With the level of hype that preexists, Allen will be one of the most intriguing pieces to watch this season.
The 6’10”, 225 pound center from Round Rock, TX fills an immediate need for size. With the graduations of Cameron Ridley, Prince Ibeh and Connor Lammert, Texas needed a serious infusion of front court talent.
Allen can run the floor exceedingly well right now and maintains a decent post game. He can also both block shots on defense and hit the mid range jumper on offense if the paint is clogged.
Freshman production is hard to predict, but 20-24 minutes is where I’ll peg him right now. Somewhere in the neighborhood of seven points and five rebounds is a very conservative estimate without seeing his adjustment to the Big 12.
Mar 4, 2016; Stillwater, OK, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Shaka Smart reacts during the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the first half at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports
Backup center: James Banks
Texas wasn’t content with one top 10 center, so they went and signed a second.
James Banks out of Atlanta was the number seven center in the 2016 class and the fourth best player in Georgia. If Jarrett Allen has the offensive lightning, then Banks is the defensive thunder. Expect to see both of them a lot this year. They could form a potentially dominating twin towers look down the road if they both stay in Austin.
The 6’10”, 235 pound freshman is similar to Allen in terms of total athletic potential. He can run the floor and block shots.
Where he falls behind is his offensive game. Banks appears to not have the same sort of finesse and skill around the basket. Thankfully, there are plenty of guys that can score and leave Banks to just rebound and swat opponents away.
15-18 minutes with 4-7 points and 5-8 boards is the floor I’ll set at this point.
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