Texas extended three out-of-state 2018 basketball offers Thursday

Although Shaka Smart's hands have been full with the USA U18 team, the Texas Longhorns staff was busy on the recruiting trail Thursday afternoon, extending offers to three big-time 2018 targets.

Two of which were extended to a pair of Webster Groves (MO) teammates.

Carte'Are Gordon, 2018's No. 19 power forward and the top-ranked player in Missouri, holds of handful of big-name offers, including Kansas, Oklahoma and Kansas State. Although Kansas is the perceived favorite, considering his Crystal Ball projections, Texas getting into the mix could completely alter Gordon's recruitment if Smart gets the opportunity to establish the kind of relationship that so many recruits admire about the Longhorns coach.

Gordon's teammate, four-star point guard, Courtney Ramey, added Texas to a list of offers that includes Arkansas, Kansas State, Missouri and Ole Miss, among others. Ramey's recruitment hasn't gained quite as much steam as his recruitment, but if the nation's No. 15 point guard adds some athleticism to his impressive understanding of pace and offensive control, Texas jumping in early could prove beneficial.

While there's no indication of it yet, Gordon and Ramey could ultimately elect to remain teammates in college. If Smart brought that to fruition in Austin, it would be yet another mark on what's already becoming an impressive recruiting resume at Texas.

Kamaka Hepa was the third offer recipient on Thursday. The four-star Jefferson (OR) power forward is your common-day stretch forward with a soft touch around the rim, but the ability to make plays as a facilitator and knock down shots from the perimeter. Hepa, the No. 23 power forward and No. 1 player in Oregon, previously spent the first two seasons of his high school career at Barrow in Alaska, earning back-to-back Alaska State Gatorade Player of the Year honors. Hepa also holds offers from Oklahoma, Miami, Oregon, Utah and Wichita State, among others.