Texas Basketball: 3 players with NBA potential for Chris Beard

Courtney Ramey, G

For the first time in his college career to date, the junior guard Courtney Ramey got All-Big 12 honors last season. Ramey was solid most of the way for the Longhorns last season under Smart’s direction in his sixth year as head coach. The problem for Ramey arrived during the Big 12 Tournament and NCAA Tournament.

Ramey always had that NBA-caliber two-way game to him, but he just hasn’t shown it on a consistent basis during his time at Texas. If Ramey showed that NBA potential on a consistent basis during his senior campaign, then the 6-foot-3 and 185-pound switchable guard Ramey could be at least a late second-round pick, if not better.

What finally broke through for Ramey last season was his ability to create from all over the place on the offensive end of the floor and his consistent perimeter defense. Ramey shot nearly 42 percent from beyond the arc and above 83 percent from the free-throw line last season. And for the second season in a row, Ramey averaged at least one steal per game.

Ramey is consistently efficient for Texas on both ends of the floor, but his production largely tends to fly under the radar. What needs to change for Ramey this season if he wants to improve his draft stock includes fixing the cold scoring streaks game in and game out, move his assist-to-turnover ratio in the right direction, and have more confidence when driving the lane and kicking it out to the perimeter.