The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Men’s Basketball signs duo to National Letters of Intent
11.11.2015 | Men's Basketball
Texas staff inks Banks and Young for 2016-17 season.
Pronunciation Help:
La Lumiere Lah-loo-mair
AUSTIN, Texas – A pair of high school basketball standouts have signed National Letters of Intent to play basketball next season at The University of Texas, head coach Shaka Smart announced Wednesday. James Banks (Decatur, Ga.) and Jacob Young (Houston, Texas) will join the Longhorns for the 2016-17 season.
We are very excited about the foundation we are laying for the future of Texas Basketball," Smart said. "Our program centers around competitiveness and enthusiasm, and both James Banks and Jacob Young embody those traits."
Banks (6-10, 235), a center from La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.) who plays under head coach Shane Heirman, is ranked as the No. 45 overall prospect in the nation by Scout.com and the No. 56 overall and sixth-ranked center in the nation by ESPN. He averaged 23 points and 14 rebounds per game in his junior season while playing for Mount Vernon Presbyterian School (Atlanta, Ga.).
"James is a terrific frontcourt prospect who possesses size, touch and an innate ability to rebound and block shots," Smart said. "His strong work ethic and desire to be great will help him become a major force in our program."
Young (6-1, 175), a guard from Houston's Yates High School who plays under head coach Greg Wise, is ranked as the No. 85 overall prospect and 13th-best shooting guard in the nation by Scout.com and the No. 91 overall recruit by Rivals.com. He earned Class 5A all-state honors from the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) as a junior while leading Yates to an 18-9 overall record and a trip to the regional semifinals of the state tournament. In his sophomore year, Young helped pace Yates to a 24-7 mark and a trip to the Class 4A state championship game.
"Jacob is an explosive combo guard with major shot-making ability," Smart said. "His work ethic, competitiveness and passion for the game will fit extremely well in our program."
2016-17 Texas Basketball Recruiting Class
Name | Yr | Pos | Ht | Wt | Hometown (High School) |
James Banks | Fr. | C | 6-10 | 235 | Decatur, Ga. (La Lumiere School [Ind.]) |
Jacob Young | Fr. | G | 6-1 | 175 | Houston, Texas (Yates HS) |
