The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Men’s Basketball signs Max Abmas
05.05.2023 | Men's Basketball
Abmas is the NCAA Division I active career scoring leader (2,562 points) and started 123 career games during the last four seasons at Oral Roberts.
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Max Abmas ACE-miss
AUSTIN, Texas — Max Abmas (pronounced ACE-miss) has signed an Athletic Scholarship Agreement (ASA) to play basketball next season at The University of Texas, head coach Rodney Terry announced Friday. Abmas, who spent the last four years at Oral Roberts University, will join the Longhorns for the upcoming 2023-24 season.
Abmas (6-0, 175), a guard from Rockwall, Texas, played and started 123 career games and registered 2,562 points (20.8 ppg), 395 assists (3.2 apg), 408 rebounds (3.3 rpg) and 140 steals (1.1 spg) in 4,280 minutes (34.8 mpg) over the last four seasons at Oral Roberts. He converted 43.7-percent (841-1924) from the floor, including a 38.8-percent (420-1083) mark from three-point range, and 88.1-percent (460-522) from the free throw line during his time at ORU.
Abmas was a three-time honorable mention All-American by The Associated Press and twice was named Summit League Player of the Year (2020-21 and 2022-23). He will enter the upcoming 2023-24 season as the NCAA Division I active leader in both career scoring (2,562 points) and career scoring average (20.8 ppg). A three-time Academic All-Summit League selection, Abmas earned a bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Oral Roberts in Spring 2023 and will have one season of collegiate eligibility remaining.
During his senior season in 2022-23, Abmas played and started in 34 of a possible 35 games and led the Golden Eagles to a 30-5 overall record (18-0 Summit). Oral Roberts advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 64 and swept the Summit League's regular-season and tournament crowns. An AP honorable mention All-American who was named both the Summit League's Player of the Year and Tournament MVP, he averaged 21.9 points, 4.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 36.1 minutes per game and posted a 2-to-1 (138-68) assist-to-turnover ratio on the year. Abmas converted 37.3-percent (119-319) from three-point range and 91.9-percent (158-172) from the free throw line and reached double figures in scoring in 32 of his 34 contests, including twenty 20-point efforts and five 30-point performances. He ranked ninth in Division I in scoring (21.9 ppg) and fifth in free throw percentage (.919) last season.
As a junior in 2021-22, Abmas played and started in 30 of a possible 31 games as Oral Roberts registered a 19-12 record (12-6 Summit). An AP honorable mention All-American who also earned All-Summit League first team and NABC All-District 12 first-team accolades, he averaged 22.8 points, 3.7 assists and 3.4 rebounds in 36.8 minutes per game. Abmas converted 38.9-percent (114-293) from three-point range and 85.0-percent (119-140) from the free throw line and reached double digits in scoring in 29 of his 30 contests, including eighteen 20-point efforts and six 30-point showings. He ranked fifth in Division I in scoring (22.8 ppg) and third in three-point field goals made per game (3.8).
During his sophomore season in 2020-21, Abmas played and started in 28 of a possible 29 games as Oral Roberts posted an 18-11 mark (10-5 Summit). ORU won the Summit League Tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16, registering a 75-72 overtime win against No. 2 seed Ohio State in the Round of 64 and an 81-78 victory over Florida in the Round of 32 before falling 72-70 to Arkansas in the Round of 16. He claimed AP honorable mention All-America mention, third-team All-America honors by CBS Sports and was tabbed the Lou Henson National Mid-Major Player of the Year by College Insider in addition to sweeping the Summit League's Player of the Year and Tournament MVP honors. Abmas averaged 24.5 points, 3.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 37.0 minutes per game while converting 47.7-percent from the floor (224-470), including a 42.9-percent mark (100-233) from three-point range, and 89.0-percent (138-155) from the free throw line. He led Division I in scoring (24.5 ppg) and ranked second nationally in three-pointers made (100), fourth in three-point field goals made per game (3.6), ninth in three-point field goal percentage (.429) and 15th in free throw percentage (.890). Abmas reached double digits in scoring in all 28 games, including twenty 20-point efforts and seven 30-point performances. He was the only NCAA Division I player during the 2020-21 season to record multiple 40-point efforts, scoring a career-high 42 against South Dakota State (Feb. 13) and 41 against Western Illinois (Feb. 27). Abmas earned NCAA Championship All-South Region Team honors as he became the first player since Stephen Curry of Davidson (2008) to score 25 or more points in each of his first three NCAA Tournament contests. He also earned CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team accolades.
During his freshman year in 2019-20, Abmas played and started all 31 contests as Oral Roberts registered a 17-14 record (9-7 Summit). He earned Summit League All-Newcomer Team accolades as he averaged 14.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 29.5 minutes per game and converted 36.6-percent (87-238) from three-point range and 81.8-percent (45-55) from the free throw line. Abmas reached double figures in 23 contests, including nine 20-point performances, and had a season-best 27 points against North Dakota (Jan. 11). His scoring average (14.5 ppg) marked the eighth-highest mark by a freshman in ORU program history.
Abmas was a three-year letterman at Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas (same high school that current UT redshirt freshman Gavin Perryman attended) for head coach Chris Hill. He scored over 1,000 career points and twice earned all-district honors while at Jesuit. Abmas averaged 19.1 points per game and converted 109 three-pointers in his senior season (2018-19) while earning District 9-6A co-MVP honors and Dallas Morning News All-Area and All-Region II-6A team accolades. He was tabbed co-Offensive Player of the Year in District 9-6A as a junior (2017-18) while averaging 16.1 points per game, including a career-high 31 points against Rockwall Heath (Dec. 28, 2017).
