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The days of Texas being a one-sport state at the high school level have long since come and gone. Amateur basketball is burgeoning both in the Lone Star State and in DFW in particular, and coaches from top schools all over the country have taken notice.
Elite Seniors:
JULIUS RANDLE
Power Forward | 2013
Plano Prestonwood Christian | Texas Titans
Interested Schools: Texas, Florida, Kentucky, NC State, Kansas, Oklahoma
Consensus Ranking: 5*, Top 4
Randle is widely considered one of the top four players in his class along with fellow Texans Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison as well as Chicago phenom Jabari Parker. After a strong AAU season with the Texas Titans, Randle was recently crowned as the #1 overall prospect in the 2013 class by Jerry Meyer (247 Sports). Randle returns for his senior season to defend Plano Prestonwood Christian's TAPPS Class 5A State Championship. He has not yet narrowed his college list, but is looking closely at the Carolina schools, National Champion Kentucky, and most of the Big 12 schools. Whatever school lands the uber-talented forward will be thrilled.
KEITH FRAZIER
Wing | 2013
Dallas Kimball | Houston Hoops
Interested Schools: Arizona, Texas A&M, Baylor, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma St, Memphis
Consensus Ranking: 5*, Top 15
Frazier made the jump from Irving High to Dallas Kimball last season and led the Knights to the UIL Class 4A State Championship. However, that transfer (and subsequent title) was not without controversy. As it stands, Frazier plans to return to Kimball after a summer playing with AAU powerhouse Houston Hoops. It has been widely believed that Arizona was his school of choice, but local programs Texas A&M and Baylor have been creeping closer to the top of his list.
MATT JONES
Shooting Guard | 2013
Desoto | Texas Titans
Interested Schools: Committed to Duke
Consensus Ranking: 5*, Top 30
The Desoto Eagles lost in the UIL Class 5A Region 2 finals to State-bound Garland Naaman Forest last spring. Naaman Forest featured Texas-bound seniors Prince Ibeh and DeMarcus Holland and will surely take a step back. However, Desoto returns its star in Matt Jones, considered one of the top dead-eye shooters in his class. Committed to Duke, Jones will follow in the footsteps of class of 2012's Rasheed Sulaimon (Houston Strake Jesuit) after he ends up at Durham. Jones has also been in the ear of his AAU teammate Randle, telling him to continue their devastating inside-out combination as Blue Devil teammates.
Highly-Recruited Seniors:
JORDAN MICKEY
Combo Forward | 2013
Dallas Prime Prep | Urban DFW
Interested Schools: Louisville, Ohio St, West Virginia, SMU, Texas, Texas Tech, Kansas [UPDATE] Committed to LSU
Consensus Ranking: 4*, Top 50
KARVIAR SHEPHERD
Center/Power Forward | 2013
Dallas Prime Prep | Urban DFW
Interested Schools: Louisville, UCLA, Texas, Texas A&M, Kansas, Georgetown, USC, SMU, TCU [UPDATE] Committed to TCU
Consensus Ranking: 4*, Top 50
Last year, Arlington Grace Prep steamrolled its way to a TAPPS Class 4A State Championship with Baylor-bound big man Isaiah Austin leading the charge. Hard as it is to believe, the Lions may be even better this year. The senior duo of Mickey and Shepherd gives Grace Prep the best frontcourt in the state, and rising junior Emmanuel Mudiay (more on him below) will be stout at point guard. Both Mickey and Shepherd have a combination of in-state and out-of-state colleges on their lists.
[Ed. Note] Mickey, Shepherd and Mudiay (below) were all ruled ineligible to play after attempting to transfer to Prime Prep this year.
KENDAL HARRIS
Combo Guard | 2013
Richardson Berkner | Urban DFW
Interested Schools: Committed to USC
Consensus Ranking: 4*, Top 100
SOMA EDO
Power Forward | 2013
Richardson Berkner | Dallas Mustangs
Interested Schools: SMU, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Marquette, Creighton
Consensus Ranking: 3*, Top 150
Berkner lost to Desoto in the UIL Class 5A Region 2 semifinals last spring, but should build upon last season as State Championship hopefuls in 2013. The Rams are led by Harris, who is also the lead guard on Shepherd and Mickey's excellent Urban DFW AAU team. Edo has had a standout summer, and the undersized big man has seen recruiting interest pick up beyond just in-state schools. Meanwhile, Harris just recently pulled the trigger and verbally committed to the Trojans after taking an unofficial visit to USC.
Other Seniors To Know:
ZACH COLEMAN
Power Forward | 2013
Dallas Woodrow Wilson | Dallas Mustangs
Interested Schools: Committed to Missouri [UPDATE] Decommitted, now committed to UMass
Consensus Ranking: 3*
LEYTON HAMMONDS
Combo Forward | 2013
North Richland Hills Richland | Dallas Mustangs
Interested Schools: Committed to Oklahoma St
Consensus Ranking: 3*
GREG WESLEY
Combo Forward | 2013
Arlington Juan Seguin | Texas Titans
Interested Schools: Arkansas, UT-Arlington [UPDATE] Committed to North Texas
Consensus Ranking: 3*
KYLE WILSON
Wing | 2013
Fort Worth Dunbar | LBA Seawolves
Interested Schools: Recently decommitted from Baylor
Consensus Ranking: 3*
BRANDON PARRISH
Wing | 2013
Arlington Juan Seguin | Urban DFW Elite
Interested Schools: Kansas St, Oklahoma St, Wichita St [UPDATE] Committed to TCU
Consensus Ranking: 3*
JEFFREY CARROLL
Wing | 2013
Rowlett | Dallas Mustangs
Interested Schools: Kansas St, Nebraska, Oklahoma, SDSU, SMU, TCU, UTEP [UPDATE] Committed to Oklahoma St
Consensus Ranking: 3*
NATHAN HAWKINS
Wing | 2013
Rowlett | Dallas Mustangs
Interested Schools: Kansas St, North Texas, UTEP. [UPDATE] Committed to Nebraska
Consensus Ranking: 3*
MARCUS FOSTER
Shooting Guard | 2013
Wichita Falls Hirschi | Dallas Mustangs
Interested Schools: Oklahoma, Kansas St, TCU, SMU, Texas, Lehigh, Creighton [UPDATE] Committed to Kansas St
Consensus Ranking: 3*
JEREMY SENGLIN
Combo Guard | 2013
Arlington Bowie | Texas Select
Interested Schools: TCU, North Texas, Air Force, Lehigh [UPDATE] Committed to Weber St
Consensus Ranking: 3*
SHIRMANE THOMAS
Point Guard | 2013
Dallas Prime Prep | Urban DFW Elite
Interested Schools: Creighton, North Texas, Tulsa, Wichita St
Consensus Ranking: 3*
MARQUAN BOTLEY
Point Guard | 2013
Plano Prestonwood Christian | Texas Titans
Interested Schools: TCU, Albany, Santa Clara
Consensus Ranking: 3*
There are a lot of good players across the board in DFW. Expect to see a few of these guys on Big 12 or other area teams next year. Obviously, strong senior seasons are key for a lot of these guys as they try to land a scholarship for next season.
Underclassmen To Know:
EMMANUEL MUDIAY
Point Guard | 2014
Dallas Prime Prep | Texas Select
Interested Schools: Kentucky, Texas, Kansas, Baylor, Arizona, Texas A&M, Oklahoma
Consensus Ranking: 5*, Top 10
Mudiay, who is the cousin of Texas point guard Myck Kabongo, is one of the most sought-after point guards in the class of 2013. Practically the entire Big 12 and the state of Texas have offered the talented five-star junior. He has also spoken very favorably about John Calipari's point-guard friendly system at Kentucky. First things first: with Mickey and Shepherd flanking him in Arlington, Mudiay has a chance to stamp Grace Prep as the best team in the Lone Star state next year.
ELBERT ROBINSON
Power Forward | 2014
Garland Lakeview Centennial | LBA Seawolves
Interested Schools: Kansas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Baylor, Oklahoma
Consensus Ranking: 4*, Top 50
D’ANGELO ALLEN
Shooting Guard | 2014
Dallas Kimball | Dallas Showtyme
Interested Schools: Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Georgetown, Marquette
Consensus Ranking: 4*, Top 100
ALEX ROBINSON
Point Guard | 2014
Kennedale | DJHS
Interested Schools: Baylor, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Houston, Oklahoma St, SMU, TCU
Consensus Ranking: 4*, Top 100
Allen and the Robinsons (not related) are three other names to keep an eye on in the class of 2014. Most of the interest right now is Big 12-generated. After their junior seasons, though, expect to see a spike in their recruitments, a la Mickey or Shepherd this summer.
MICKEY MITCHELL
Combo Forward | 2015
Plano Prestonwood Christian | Texas Titans
KING MCCLURE
Combo Guard | 2015
Dallas Triple A Academy | Texas Titans
Teammates on the Texas Titans AAU U-16 team, Mitchell and McClure are two of the nation's best in the rising sophomore class. Mitchell is one of the most well-known prospects nationally, especially with an older brother, Mike Mitchell, who is a Top 150 football recruit in this year's class. Mickey may end up following his brother to college, so take close notes. The Mitchells are originally from Florida, and the rumor is Mickey may transfer back there to play for Winter Park (alma mater of Duke's Austin Rivers). Meanwhile, McClure's Triple A Academy, a non-UIL FOCUS Academy school, plays an aggressive area schedule. McClure should be worth the price of admission.
[Ed. Note] Mitchell tore his ACL playing football for PCA and will miss his school's basketball season.
ELIJAH THOMAS
Power Forward | 2015
Rockwall | Team Texas Elite
AUSTIN GRANDSTAFF
Combo Guard | 2015
Rockwall | Team Texas Elite
Looking for a sleeper team next year? Check out the Rockwall Yellowjackets and their two rising sophomores, Thomas and Grandstaff. Rockwall was a Class 4A school last year, but is making the jump to Class 5A this year. It won't hurt to have these two getting buckets as the Yellowjackets try to keep pace in a new class and make the Class 5A playoffs.
For more on Texas Longhorns hoops, check out SB Nation blogs Barking Carnival and Burnt Orange Nation. We've got every area school covered as well at Our Daily Bears (Baylor), Double T Nation (Texas Tech) and Frogs O' War (TCU).
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Texas High School Basketball: State of the AAU Nation