In anticipation for Shaka Smart’s second season on The 40 Acres, HornSports college basketball writer Chris Flanagan will go in-depth on the Texas men’s basketball team. This week, we preview the sophmore class of the Texas Men’s Basketball team.
The Sophomores
The first recruiting class of the Shaka Smart era, with help from Rick Barnes, set the tone of the type of players and style that Coach Smart wants to have as his career progresses on the 40 Acres. Although there were bright spots and big games from each of the Big 3 throughout last season, all of them were held under 10 points per game for the season.
Superstar: Kerwin Roach
Roach committed to Rick Barnes but ultimately decided to stay and be a Longhorn. While consistency from Roach was lacking at times, he showed the flair and ability to be a superstar in the conference. With Taylor gone, Roach will have the consistent game play to prove he can be the superstar this team needs to be a title contender.
Hidden Gem: Eric Davis Jr.
The Michigan native turned out to be one of the pleasant surprises of the Class of 2019. Davis was the top scorer from the freshmen class last season. Why I consider him to be the hidden gem on this team is simply that no one is talking about the impact he can make in the Big 12 and nationally. Davis shot 38% from three point range, which was just barely better than his overall shooting percentage. He’s not a driver like Roach, he’s more of the “kick out for 3” player just waiting for the open look. If he becomes more consistent, he will be a force in the Big 12.
Other Members
Tevin Mack
Tevin Mack was the first official commit under Shaka Smart. Mack’s athleticism is simply astonishing. His consistency was lacking but typically most freshman lack in consistency, so I will give him a break. That said, he’s the best small forward on the roster. With Lammert gone, Tevin must take the reins and be the great small forward he can be. Last year he had 5 games of 10 or more points. However, he had 6 games where he played 9 or more minutes and scored 0 points.
Overall Preview
The Sophomores are the foundation of this team. While 3 players are typically not viewed as the foundation of a team, these 3 will likely all be starters to begin the season. The athleticism and skill level that all 3 possess are of championship caliber. These are the players you need to make a run for a Big 12 title. The training wheels are off and it’s time for these players to step up.
