Texas basketball adds future NBA talent in 4-Star PF Nic Codie

Texas basketball and head coach Rodney Terry secured a commitment from the No. 1 recruit in Texas in the 2024 class in the 247Sports Composite and On3 Industry Ranking on Nov. 2. High-four-star Carrollton (TX) Newman Smith power forward Nic Codie committed to Texas over the Auburn Tigers, Miami Hurricanes, and Houston Cougars.

Codie’s seven finalist schools that he picked between on the afternoon of Nov. 2 were Texas, Auburn, Miami, Houston, the LSU Tigers, TCU Horned Frogs, and Virginia Tech Hokies.

Texas got its second commitment in the 2024 class a couple of weeks before the start of the Early Signing Period for men’s college hoops. The other commitment Terry and the Longhorns have in the 2024 class is five-star Lexington (SC) shooting guard Cam Scott.

Texas basketball gets its second commitment in the 2024 class from 4-Star PF Nic Codie

The Longhorns are also awaiting word from the No. 1 shooting guard recruit in the nation in the 2024 class, Dallas (TX) Link Academy five-star Tre Johnson. Johnson is down to Texas and the Baylor Bears with a decision possibly coming before or during the Early Signing Period.

Terry and the Longhorns staff are doing a great job on the recruiting trail to build out this 2024 class with two elite prospects with NBA upside. This particular recruitment for Codie came down to the strong relationships that assistant coaches Brandon Chappell and Frank Haith built with the elite in-state power forward recruit.

Houston was figured to have the lead in this recruitment for Codie for much of the 2023 offseason. But the Longhorns made a big late push to secure their top priority among in-state power forward recruits in the 2024 class this fall.

Texas has one or two spots remaining for high school recruits in the 2024 class

With the Early Signing Period just a couple of weeks away, this could be an eventful stretch upcoming on the recruiting trail for the Longhorns in the 2024 class. Texas is looking to add another high school commitment or two to the 2024 class, with the aforementioned No. 1 shooting guard recruit in the nation, Johnson, being their top target.

Codie adds a lengthy and athletic power forward with NBA upside to Texas’ 2024 class

Codie is a very exciting and intriguing addition to the Longhorns in the 2024 class with his potent combination of NBA-level physical tools at the four and a solid two-way skill set.

At 6-foot-9 and 200 pounds, Codie has the length NBA scouts want at the four in the modern game. Codie has the wingspan, good hands, and verticality that NBA scouts want from a modern power forward, too.

Offensively, Codie is a threat to score from anywhere within 12 or 15-feet of the rim. He’s got a polished back-to-the-basket scoring game with a nice arsenal of post moves. Codie has natural touch on his hook shot and smooth footwork to get face-up to the basket against smaller forwards for easy buckets.

Codie also has the type of verticality and explosiveness as a lob threat that Texas fans have become accustomed to watching from bigs like sophomore forward Dillon Mitchell, center Jericho Sims, and center Jaxson Hayes in recent years.

Distance shooting is still a work in progress for Codie, who is developing a better jump shot from range. But he’s not a consistent threat pulling up from deep-two-point-range and beyond the arc yet. If he works on his jump shot and improves at the rate he has in the last two years, Codie could become a legitimate threat from beyond the arc as a stretch-four.

One phase of Codie’s game that has come a long way in the last couple of years is his ability to be a scoring threat off the dribble. Codie is an above-average ball handler at the four and has become a real threat to attack the rim off the dribble. He’s got good quickness and utilizes his length well to finish around the rim when he does attack the lane as the ball-handler on offense.

Codie will be a high-level rebounder for Texas on both ends of the floor

Another major strength of Codie’s game coming out of high school is his rebounding. Codie’s length, verticality, and timing/anticipation of the shot allow him to be a beast on the glass. He’s a big-time threat to steal extra possessions for his offense on the offensive end of the floor.

And Codie rarely loses a box out or gets his ground taken from him in the post on the defensive end.

Modern threat for a big man in transition

Codie’s fluidity and quickness for a power forward at 6-foot-9 with a long stride is impressive. He’s a big-time threat to finish lobs in transition since he runs the floor so well. Codie also shows good court vision to dish the ball off to other open teammates for easy finishes when he’s handling the ball in transition.

Codie can be a pesky and disruptive defender if he adds weight to his frame

The long wingspan, 6-foot-9 height, and lateral quickness that Codie brings make him a very versatile defender who can defend multiple positions. He’s quick enough to handle matchups away from the basket against more versatile power forwards and can disrupt threes when matched up one-on-one due to his length.

We already mentioned his rebounding ability, which will be a major plus for the Longhorns on the defensive end. Texas needs a lengthier four with the versatility to defend multiple positions and the ability to contest shots.

Codie won’t be a true, dominant rim protector for the Longhorns in the frontcourt. But he does have the length and timing to disrupt shots and potentially pick up a block per game while playing at the four.

Areas of improvement

Hands down, the biggest area of improvement for Codie before he arrives on the 40 is adding weight to his frame. At his current weight (200 pounds), Codie would get pushed around in the paint on both ends of the floor.

But Codie has a couple of years to get in the weight room and add the necessary weight to more effectively compete inside against major conference-sized bigs on both ends.

Codie can also continue to improve his jump shot so that he becomes a more well-rounded and versatile threat from distance on the offensive end. Codie’s offensive skill set is currently pretty limited to him scoring from 15 feet or closer to the basket.

Projection and fit at Texas

If Mitchell leaves for the NBA Draft next year, and there’s a good chance he does given he already declared early for the 2023 draft before withdrawing late in the spring, Codie will have a shot to compete for a starting spot immediately at Texas at the four.

While Codie would be one of the more raw talents at the power forward position playing at the four in the SEC next season for the Longhorns, he would also be one of the most gifted. He could provide an immediate spark for the Longhorns as a lengthy and versatile defender and a monster on the boards.

As Codie develops his jump shot, he could rely on his ability to attack the basket and finish around the paint to contribute on offense. By his second year on campus, Codie would be expected to be more of a threat pulling up from distance on offense and posing a threat on offense as an inside facilitator from the elbow or the paint.

Here’s a look at how Texas’ frontcourt unit currently projects at the four for its first year in the SEC during the 2024-25 season.

• Devon Pryor (6-foot-7, 180 pounds), Redshirt freshman
• Ze’Rik Onyema (6-foot-8, 235 pounds), Senior
• Nic Codie (6-foot-9, 200 pounds), Freshman

After landing Codie’s commitment, the Longhorns’ 2024 class ranks No. 22 in the nation in the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Texas’ 2024 class, with two commitments, also ranks third in the SEC behind the Mizzou Tigers (No. 1) and Kentucky Wildcats (No. 2).