While Texas' season might have ended with a whimper on Friday, as the Longhorns fell to the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first round of the NCAA tournament, the future is bright in Austin. Rick Barnes' team is a young one, and one that will be boasting five more freshmen next year.
But the Longhorns might be without leading scorer J`Covan Brown, as well as Myck Kabongo, as both players are considering turning pro.
Needless to say, their decisions will drastically affect Texas' 2012-13 season.
For Brown, it sounds like he has a foot out the door already.
The leading scorer in the Big 12, Brown showed the ability to play at the next level. The NBA is there for him should he chose to leave Texas. He has a daughter who will turn 2 in July.
"I'll make the decision, talk to Coach, talk to my parents and see what the best thing is for me," said Brown, who scored in double figures 32 times this season. "I'm not worrying about moving on right now. ...At the end of the day, I have a family to take care of."
Talking of a family to take care of? The last time I checked, the NBA pays its players, while the NCAA levies major sanctions on institutions, or boosters representing institutions, who pay their players. If Brown is looking to take care of his family, then he's likely taken his last shot as a Longhorn.
Kabongo, meanwhile, offered no comment on his dilemma. Kabongo averaged 9.8 points, 5.3 assists and three rebounds per game during his freshman year.
If he wants the Longhorns to make a deep run into the tournament next year, Barnes should be doing everything he can to keep both Brown and Kabongo in school -- and even that might not be enough to keep them in school.