The 2007-08 Texas men’s basketball team currently has 13 players on scholarship, which is also the maximum. The lone senior on scholarship is JD Lewis. So, barring transfers or early defections to the NBA, Texas would be in position to sign a maximum of one high school senior. However, we cannot discount the possibility of DJ Augustin turning pro after his sophomore campaign, nor can we eliminate the possibility of a transfer or two from the equation. Therefore, I would not be surprised to see the Longhorns sign a two-person class with the first coming as early as Thursday.
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| Port Arthur's J'Covan Brown |
TJ Ford’s decision to come to Texas put the Longhorns on the college basketball map and made Austin a viable destination for high school All Americans from across the country. In just the past four years, highly regarded high schoolers like Daniel Gibson, Lamarcus Aldridge, Kevin Durant, DJ Augustin, Damion James, and Gary Johnson have all chosen to play for Rick Barnes and Texas. This year won’t be any different.
Although, the Horns lost their opportunity to sign Greg Monroe, the top player in this class, to Georgetown, they appear to be in the running for a couple of other potential McDonald’s All Americans. J’Covan Brown is a 6-2 190 combo guard from Port Arthur Memorial who may announce his decision as early as today. Brown’s recruitment has been up and down with countless rumors flying around the internet about his decision. J’Covan is a legitimate top-50 player nationally and one of the top players in the state of Texas. The Horns appeared to be out of the running for the highly touted guard just a few weeks ago, but now may have a legitimate shot at picking up his commitment this week during the early signing period.
Even with a Brown commitment, the Horns appear poised for at least one more signee in April. The #6 rated (Rivals) player in the country, Tyreke Evans, was in town just two weeks ago on his official visit to Austin. While Louisville and Villanova appear to be the frontrunners, anything can happen. Other players Texas has offered or are actively recruiting including Wesley Witherspoon and Jeff Taylor. If the Horns miss on Brown, signing one of these three in April will be crucial.
--AW--