With Shaka Smart gone, and Chris Beard now officially introduced as the new Texas Longhorns head basketball coach, rumors are beginning to fly in terms of roster turnover, staff hires, and recruiting interest
Under new head coach Chris Beard, the Longhorns recruiting momentum will need to hit the ground running, and attempt to salvage what is left of an already decimated roster.
Stick with Longhorns Country for all of the latest basketball updates below:
APRIL 7, 8:45 AM UPDATE: The Texas Longhorns lost another member of the 2020-21 roster on Tuesday, when junior forward Kamaka Hepa entered the NCAA Transfer Portal as a grad transfer.
A former Gatorade Player of the Year for two different states (Alaska and Oregon), Hepa was one of the key team leaders for the Longhorns but never found his footing under Shaka Smart on the floor, averaging just 2.9 points and one rebound 6.4 minutes per game.
Hepa's time on the floor actually decreased every year during his time in Austin, playing 28 games his freshman season, 23 games his sophomore season, and just nine this past season.
Hepa's best game of the year came in the Longhorns 82-67 win over Kansas State on January 16, when he stepped for a COVID affected Texas roster, and scored 15 points in 26 minutes on 5-of-9 shooting.
APRIL 4, 8 AM UPDATE: The recruiting fall out from the exit of Shaka Smart continued for the Texas Longhorns on Saturday evening, when talented forward David Joplin asked for a release from his letter of intent.
“After a lot of discussion with my family I have decided to request a release from my letter of intent with the University of Texas Men’s Basketball team,” Joplin tweeted.
Joplin is the second Longhorn signee to ask for his release, following the same request from IMG Academy guard Tamar Bates on March 29th.
Following the exits of Joplin and Bates, the Longhorns 2021 recruiting class is down to just two players, in combo guard Emarion Ellis, and forward Keeyan Itejere.
APRIL 3, 6 PM UPDATE: Former Texas Longhorns forward Royce Hamm Jr. has officially found a new home after entering the transfer portal on March 23rd, selecting UNLV as his school of choice.
Disgruntled at his lack of playing time under former head coach Shaka Smart, Hamm's search for an increased playing time and a bigger role now takes him to the Group of Five, where the Rebels went 12-15 and finished sixth in the Mountain West Conference.
Hamm Jr. averaged 1.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and averaged 52.8-percent from the floor for the Longhorns this past season.
APRIL 2, 1 PM UPDATE: After cutting his list of top schools down to just five, elite frontcourt prospect Charles Bediako has added the Longhorns to his finalists, alongside a quartet of elite programs.
The 6-foot-11 215-pound big from IMG Academy is one of the top players at his position in the country and is known for his elite wingspan and his abilities as a shot-blocker and rebounder. Bediako also has skills in the paint but will need to improve in that area as he develops.
Bediako also listed Michigan, Alabama, Ohio State, and Duke in his top-five, but is thought to be leaning Alabama at this point.
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