The Texas Longhorns have made the biggest recruiting splash of the Shaka Smart era. Mohamed Bamba, a 7-foot center from Harlem, committed to Texas over Duke, Kentucky, and Michigan on Thursday morning. He made the announcement on The Players Tribune.
Mohamed Bamba commits to Texas as its biggest basketball recruit since Kevin Durant
The 5-star center is going to Texas.
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
Bamba is rated as the No. 3 player in the class of 2017. He’s known for his length, shot blocking, and finishing ability. With a 7’9 wingspan, Bamba has been measured with longer arms than any player currently in the NBA. His stay at Texas will be short. DraftExpress projects Bamba as the No. 4 pick in the 2018 NBA draft.
Bamba is now the headliner of a big-time recruiting class at Texas, joining four-star point guard Matt Coleman as well as fellow top-100 prospects Jericho Sims and Royce Hamm. Bamba will take over the center spot from Jarrett Allen, who bolted to the NBA and is projected as a possible lottery pick.
Texas finished only 11-22 last season, but the commitment of Bamba feels like one that could change the program. He is a ready-made stud as a defender and should be the program’s biggest star since Kevin Durant in 2007.
ESPN’s Jeff Goodman also reported combo guard Andrew Jones is leaning toward returning to Texas. Jones was a McDonald’s All-American in 2016 and could be poised for a breakthrough season as a sophomore.
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