Texas Basketball: 3 players ready to become stars in 2020-21

What Texas basketball needs to finally arise out of this experienced rotation is head coach Shaka Smart best utilizing the vast array of talent at hand.

It’s hard to believe given the twists and turns of the year of 2020 in the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic, but we are very close to the start of the looming 2020-21 college basketball season. The last time that the Texas basketball program took to the floor in meaningful game action in this calendar year was back on March 7, in their 2019-20 regular season finale loss at home to the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Now head coach Shaka Smart and his Texas men’s hoops team is back in action in practice, just two days ahead of tip-off of the 2020-21 regular season. Texas tips off their 2020-21 regular season slate on Nov. 25 against UTRGV. The non-conference schedule is mixed into the conference slate.

Big 12 play begins for the Longhorns on the road on Dec. 13 in a very difficult matchup against the No. 2 ranked Baylor Bears in Waco. They also have key non-conference games mixed in along the way against the Villanova Wildcats (Dec. 6 in the Big 12/Big East Battle), Kentucky Wildcats (Big 12/SEC Challenge on Jan. 30 at Rupp Arena), and either the Indiana Hoosiers or Providence Friars at some point of the Maui Invitational (played in Asheville, NC, this season in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic).

Texas finished up the 2019-20 season prior to their start in the Big 12 Tournament with a record of 19-12 (9-9 Big 12). Smart and the Longhorns found themselves on a hot streak prior to the premature end to last season. But the good news for the Longhorns is that they bring back a very talented roster for this coming season with a lot of the production from last year’s team.

Here’s a deeper look into three players that are ready to become stars for the Longhorns during the 2020-21 season.