3 former 5-Star recruits Texas basketball should target in the portal
Josh Minott, SG/SF
With Texas out in the sweepstakes to land a commitment out of the portal from the former top rated recruit in the nation and freshman forward Emoni Bates, there is another former Memphis Tigers five-star recruit that Beard and his staff could pursue. And that is the Florida native and St. Andrew’s School product Josh Minott.
This lengthy and potent 6-foot-8 and 205-pound forward Minott had a stellar freshman campaign for Memphis and head coach Penny Hardaway. But he still entered the transfer portal after spending just one year with the Tigers.
Texas could be getting a very talented player that could upgrade the wing rotation over the long haul if they nabbed a commitment out of the portal from Minott this offseason. Minott is a potent two-way guard that is a gritty on-ball defender that is very switchable between multiple positions while remaining a versatile scorer on the offensive end of the floor.
The lankey wingspan north of 6-foot-9 that Minott possesses allows him to be very disruptive on and off ball on defense. It also helps him get an edge on the glass against other players at his position.
Yet, there are still some necessary strides that Minott must make in order to elevate his offensive game. He’s got to find a more consistent shot selection, as he hit his looks from beyond the arc at a clip shy of 15 percent.
Minott tends to be more effective with his mid-range shot and also drawing contact while getting to the rim. Good things tend to happen when Minott gets to the rim as he shot around 55 percent from two-point range last season. He also posted a free-throw attempt rate of .409, good to rank in the top five among eligible players for the Tigers last season.
You can see the effectiveness of Minott last season, despite limited minutes off the bench, in his per 40 minute stats. He averaged around 18 points per 40 minutes, 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks.
Minott could be an excellent long-term wing for this program to build a foundation around. He could help restore some depth in the wing rotation while adding some two-way punch thanks to his length and versatility.