Texas basketball lands No. 1 prospect Marcus Spears Jr. after reclassification
· Yahoo Sports
Marcus Spears Jr. is joining the Longhorns this season.
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The No. 1 prospect in the 2027 class announced his reclassification and commitment to the University of Texas on Thursday, July 9, making him eligible for Texas' 2026-27 season.
Spears, a 6-foot-9 power forward from Dynamic Prep in Texas, chose the Longhorns over Arizona, LSU, North Carolina and Kentucky, among others. He will remain in his home state and join his sister Cari in Austin, where she plays volleyball for Texas.
Spears averaged 20.9 points and 8.9 rebounds in the Nike EYBL circuit this spring, becoming the only player to finish among the top 10 in both scoring and rebounding.
The son of former NFL defensive end Marcus Spears and former WNBA player Aiysha Spears, he helped lead USA Basketball to a gold medal at the 2025 FIBA U16 Men's AmeriCup, averaging a team-best 14 points and 6.5 rebounds.
Spears becomes the sixth commitment in Texas' 2026 recruiting class, joining five-star McDonald's All-American Austin Goosby, four-star small forward Bo Ogden and four-star guard Joe Sterling. With Spears' commitment, the Longhorns' class rises to No. 4 nationally.
At 17, Spears will not be eligible for the NBA draft until 2028, meaning he is expected to spend at least two seasons at Texas.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas basketball lands No. 1 prospect Marcus Spears Jr. after reclassification