4-star Texas PF David Joplin requests release from NLI

Another member of what was originally Shaka Smart’s 2021 signing class won’t be making his way to the Forty Acres. On Saturday afternoon, four-star Brookfield (Wis.) Central power forward announced on Twitter that he’s requested a release from his National Letter of Intent.

The 6’7, 215-pound Joplin was ranked as the nation’s No. 114 player and No. 19 power forward, per the 247Sports Composite.

What was originally a four-man 2021 class is now down to just two members, as Joplin joins four-star IMG Academy (Fla.) guard Tamar Bates in requesting their release since Smart departed for Marquette.

As it currently stands, Texas’ 2021 class still features four-star Davenport (Ia.) Assumption guard Emarion Ellis and three-star Raleigh (N.C.) Grace Christian School forward Keeyan Itejere. With new head coach Chris Beard likely to face considerable roster turnover during his first season in Austin, keeping Ellis and Itejere in the fold would certainly alleviate a bit of the burden and pressure of striking gold in the transfer market, though that has been a strength of Beard’s in recent years at Texas Tech.

To that end, multiple Texas Tech starters, including freshman wing Micah Peavy, have elected to enter the transfer portal, so Beard may be able to help fill some of the current voids on what’s now his Texas roster with a former Red Raider or two.