Texas Basketball: 3 NBA prospects to watch in the NCAA Tournament

3) Texas basketball NBA Draft prospects to watch in March: Matt Coleman

There’s no doubt that it was a difficult decision as to figuring out who from the Texas backcourt would have a brighter future potentially in the NBA. For a good while, it looked like junior guard Courtney Ramey would be the favorite to make his way into the NBA over the likes of senior versatile standout guard Matt Coleman.

But a lot of opinions that held true to that have to flip with how well Coleman played of late. This was truly a special season to date for the 6-foot-2 and 180 pound Oak Hill Academy product and Virginia native Coleman. A player that was once recruited by Smart and his staff back when he was the VCU Rams head coach is truly breaking through to a new level at the right point of his career.

A tremendous lack of postseason success defined Coleman’s run on the Forty Acres through his first three years with the program. Texas didn’t even have a shot to make their way as a hot team down the stretch heading into the Big 12 Tournament and NCAA Tournament then in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given the gifted physical tools, quickness off the dribble, efficient creating ability, and overall two-way nature of Coleman’s game, he should have at least a shot at the NBA in his future. A player that is averaging more than 13 points per game, shining when it matters most, and shooting from beyond the arc at nearly a 40 percent clip should have a spot at the next level somewhere.