Texas Basketball: Predicting next commit in Longhorns 2021 class

Where can the 2021 Texas basketball recruiting class go from here to round out this cycle in the best fashion possible with a fifth commitment?

Head coach Shaka Smart really got down to work and found a lot more success on the trail for the 2020 and 2021 Texas basketball recruiting classes this offseason, at least compared to last. He’s hit on three big time commits, and a couple of other underrated prospects too since the 2019-20 season ended prematurely in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Texas is set to start up the 2020-21 regular season in late November, around Thanksgiving. The NCAA approved the season to start up on Nov. 25 this year, so there will at least be a 2020-21 campaign. That will give Smart and the Longhorns a good chance to contend for a Big 12 Championship with a loaded roster full of talent returning for next season.

But before the start of the 2020-21 season arrives, the Longhorns will have to get ready for rounding out this recruiting cycle. The originally scheduled Early Signing Period will arrive in less than two months. But it’s hard to know exactly when that will happen in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s Early Signing Period for college hoops is set to begin on Nov. 11, and end on Nov. 18. But the final signing period will not arrive until April 14, 2021, and it ends on May 19 (de facto National Signing Day).

According to the 247Sports Team Composite Rankings, the 2021 Texas hoops recruiting class ranks at No. 10 in the nation, and remains behind the Baylor Bears in the second spot in the Big 12. Texas has four commits in the 2021 class, now with fast rising four-star Assumption combo guard Emarion Ellis as the highest ranked of the bunch.

But who will be the next commit up for the Longhorns in their 2021 hoops class?

Here’s a look into a few of the targets of the Longhorns basketball 2021 recruiting class that could be the next commit in store.