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Texas Basketball: 5 reasons Courtney Ramey, Jaxson Hayes best Big 12 freshmen duo

By Andrew Miller

AUSTIN, TEXAS - JANUARY 19: Jaxson Hayes #10 of the Texas Longhorns reacts as Brady Manek #35 of the Oklahoma Sooners walks by during second half action at The Frank Erwin Center on January 19, 2019 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TEXAS - JANUARY 19: Jaxson Hayes #10 of the Texas Longhorns reacts as Brady Manek #35 of the Oklahoma Sooners walks by during second half action at The Frank Erwin Center on January 19, 2019 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /
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AUSTIN, TEXAS – JANUARY 29: Jaxson Hayes #10 of the Texas Longhorns reaches for the ball in front of K.J. Lawson #13 of the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half at The Frank Erwin Center on January 29, 2019 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /

3. Dynamic skill sets that impact multiple areas of the game

Some of the recent stretch of solid play between Hayes and Ramey for Texas basketball highlights their strength on the defensive end of the floor. Both freshmen rank among the top four on the team in box plus/minus. Hayes carries the load, though, with a box plus/minus that ranks seventh best in the nation.

A big reason why Hayes, in particular, is getting so much hype as a potential lottery selection due to his length and ability to protect the rim. The length and athleticism from Hayes fits the mold for what a lot of NBA teams aren’t looking for from a prototypical big man now. The number of blocks he is averaging per 40 minutes (4.2) and per 100 possessions (6.3) is the evidence NBA scouts need to prove his defensive prowess.

Within the 2018 Texas basketball recruiting class, Ramey was the highest rated signee and also the last to commit. Ramey’s recruiting Ranking was so high partly due to his ability to develop into a solid two-way player. We’re starting to see that come to fruition in the last eight or 10 games. He showed flashes before, but nothing as consistent as what he’s put together the last few games.

Ramey has an incredible nose for the ball and posted nine steals and two blocks in his last six outings. Hayes also has numerous outings with five blocks this season. The rebounding and block percentages for Hayes are among the best on the team, and his offensive rating (above 140) blows the rest of the Horns out of the water as well as most other freshmen in the Big 12.

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