Grand (re)opening

Things change quickly in the college basketball world. Roy Williams, Jay Wright and Mike Krzyzewski all abruptly retired (or announced retirement) within the past two years. Purdue held the No. 1 ranking for seven weeks then saw its season unravel at the hands of a 16-seed. The preseason No. 1 team dropped four games in a week-and-a-half stretch and never recovered. Players are staying, then they’re transferring. And sometimes, the same happens to high school recruits.

Texas learned that the hard way.

Let's get to the news.

1. All its exes leaving Texas

The bliss Texas fans experienced following Max Abmas’ commitment didn’t last. Friday morning, 5-star recruit Ron Holland announced his intentions to re-open his recruitment.

The incoming freshman figured to play a crucial role — and big minutes — for the Longhorns. At 6-8, Holland can man either forward spot, and his vertical athleticism and rebounding should immediately translate to college. He already projects as a top-10 pick and could ascend higher as he continues to refine his handle and his 3-point shot. And to top it all off, his competitiveness and toughness stick out to everyone who watches him.

The move delivers a crushing blow to the Longhorns. Losing a future NBA player never feels good, and Texas’ roster already looks dicey; Holland’s decision further compounds the matter. (Only Dylan Disu, Brock Cunningham and Alex Anamekwe are guaranteed to return alongside Abmas and Kadin Shedrick as the lone newcomers.)

It’s an odd situation, especially considering the timing. Just over a month ago, the Longhorns reached their first Elite Eight since 2008. The program seemed energized under Rodney Terry, and the on-court results backed up that sentiment. But Texas has now lost two commitments in the 2023 class, as AJ Johnson (a 5-star 6-5 guard) reneged his pledge two weeks ago.

Nevertheless, as Holland mentioned in his social media post, he hasn’t ruled out a return to Texas. But for now, Terry and Co. will be on the hunt to fill out their roster. A second wave of transfers could emerge this week, with classes and exams ending — good news for the staff, as the current crop is thinning by the day. But Texas has its most pressing need — wings — at the scarcest position.

Meanwhile, a report surfaced late last night that Arkansas, Kansas, St. John’s Georgetown, Kentucky and Kansas State have reached out to Holland. The Athletic’s CJ Moore believes the professional route is on the table.

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2. Arterio Morris to Kansas, plus other portal moves

Holland’s de-commitment wasn’t the only notable Texas news from the weekend. Former Longhorn Arterio Morris announced his intentions to transfer to Kansas.

The former McDonald’s All-American played just 11.8 minutes for Texas this past season, but some of his numbers hint that stardom is possible, if not imminent. For one, he converted 68.5 percent of his shots at the rim, per Hoop-Math, and registered 11 dunks on the season.

Moreover, the 6-3 Morris was the only player under 6-6 to rank top-30 in the Big 12 in 2-point field goal percentage. Thus, his potential as an aggressive, rim-pressuring guard is obvious. But he also could grow into a reliable 3-point shooter — he shot a respectable 33 percent from distance as a freshman, including two big triples in the Elite Eight.

Morris will pair with senior point guard Dajuan Harris, who complements him well. Harris shines as one of the country’s premier table-setters, freeing up Morris to excel as a bucket-getter. Factor in 5-star freshman guard Elmarko Jackson, and Bill Self might have the most potent backcourt in the Big 12.

Other notable commitments

Simas Lukosius (Butler) to Cincinnati
Wes Miller gained a versatile offensive weapon when Simas Lukosius chose the Bearcats on Saturday. A bright spot in an otherwise disastrous season, the Lithuanian wing broke out for Butler in 2023, displaying craft in the mid-post, secondary playmaking and solid 3-point shooting. Miller has quietly assembled a strong roster for Cincy’s first year in the Big 12.

Primo Spears (Georgetown) to Florida State
After losing two of its top 3 scorers from last season, Florida State needed an injection of offense. Primo Spears should help with that. The 6-3 point guard led the Big East in usage last season, en route to a 16-point-per-game average. Now, questions about his efficiency will surely surface, but a better situation should help his percentages improve. Beyond his scoring, his 31.6 assist rate gives FSU a facilitator it has lacked since Trent Forrest captained the ‘Noles in 2020.

Quick hitters:

• Anthony Walker (Miami) to Indiana

• Jordan Geronimo (Indiana) to Maryland

• Symir Torrence (Syracuse) to Binghamton

• Elijah Hutchins-Everett (Austin Peay) to Seton Hall

• Jordan Wood (Howard) to Tulane

• Great Osobor (Montana State) to Utah State

• Charles Pride (Bradley) to St. Bonaventure

• Woody Newton (Oklahoma State) to George Mason

• Darren Buchanan (Virginia Tech) to George Washington

• Jesús Carralero (Campbell) to Missouri

Latest entrants 

• Jay Pal (Campbell)

• Justin Amadi (James Madison)

• Jimmy Bell (West Virginia)

3. Cause for concern in Charlottesville?

OK… One last note related to Texas. What can we discern about Virginia from Kadin Shedrick’s move to Austin?

Last week, Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster discussed Shedrick’s announcement and his comments about his role on his former team.

In the commitment interview, the 6-11 big man opened up, sharing the challenges of going from starter’s minutes to five per game, with some DNPs mixed in. He also voiced his belief that he has “more to show” as a shooter and decision-maker than he displayed in Charlottesville.

It’s easy to hear his remarks and think it bodes poorly for Virginia’s future. After all, the transfer portal era hasn’t exactly been kind to the Hoos. Over the past three postseasons, they only have a pair of first-round exits and an NIT appearance to show.

In the 2010s, Bennett’s teams thrived on development — the coach made ample use of redshirt seasons, and unexpected transfers were few and far between. Decorated recruits, like Justin Anderson, Malcolm Brogdon, Ty Jerome and Kyle Guy, waited their turn and blossomed into pros. Now, that’s a tough strategy to sell.

Still, Bennett is one of the best coaches in the sport, and the great ones adapt. He has already landed some intriguing pieces via the portal: Jacob Groves is the type of stretch 4 that succeeds in the blocker-mover scheme, and Andrew Rohde boasts legitimate upside as a secondary creator. Plus, rising sophomores Ryan Dunn and Isaac McKneely flashed moments of brilliance as rookies. (Dunn, in particular, feels like the archetypal Bennett interior defender.)

Contending in the ACC shouldn’t be a problem for the Hoos. But whether they can get back to the year-in, year-out 30-win level remains to be seen.

Decision makers

Which teams would benefit the most from 1-2 players removing their name from the NBA Draft? Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster discuss a few obvious candidates — and another that may surprise you.

Subscribe to The Field of 68 on YouTube here and subscribe here to AFTER DARK.

Links to click as you criticize Goodman’s Top 8 NBA players list:

• Indiana and Auburn agreed to a neutral site game in Atlanta.

• Michigan’s Jaelin Llewellyn will suit up for the Wolverines in the upcoming season after receiving a hardship waiver.

• Penny Hardaway and Memphis hired Rick Stansbury to the staff.

• Former Cal Baptist guard Taran Armstrong will play in the NBL next season.

• Andy Kennedy has hit the JUCO ranks to restock UAB’s roster and seems to be finding success.

• Baye Ndongo, a 4-star prospect in the 2023 class, de-committed from Rutgers.

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