VCU signee Tevin Mack asks for release from NLI, may end up at Texas

Texas Longhorns head coach Shaka Smart already managed to keep both 2015 signees in place and may now add a third member to the class -- Columbia (S.C.) Dreher small forward Tevin Mack.

According to the Washington Post, the nation's No. 69 player in the 247Sports Composite rankings asked the VCU Rams to release him from his National Letter of Intent:

Mack's mother, Paula Mack, said Tevin asked for a release from his national letter-of-intent after Smart left for Texas, but VCU has not granted it yet. She said Tevin hasn't made any final decisions on his college destination.

"The number-one reason why he chose VCU was Coach Smart," Paula Mack said.

Most schools grant releases in the event of coaching changes, but if VCU does not allow Mack to sign with another school, he would lose a season of eligibility were he to leave anyway.

At least one other school thinks that Mack may end up at Texas if granted his release because of his affinity for Smart, whom the Longhorns officially announced as the next basketball head coach last Friday.

A consensus four-star prospect, Mack is a 6'6, 185-pounder who held 18 offers prior to signing with VCU and is currently seen as a slasher with good defensive ability who fits in the pressing defense Smart prefers to run. Future150.com believes that Mack needs to improve his shooting both from long distance and off the dribble, but he's not incapable in those areas, a key requirement for Smart when he assesses prospects.

Here's an evaluation from a camp last summer:

NBA Top 100 Camp: (June 18th-21st, 2014) The 6-foot-6 wing is an absolutely lethal scorer, and he has shown that with his performance so far at camp. He has excellent body control and finishes well around the rim. He also has gained upper body strength and is effective posting up smaller defenders as well.