Big 12 Basketball: Ranking the Top 12 Incoming Players
By Ryan Noel
James Banks – Texas, Freshman
The Texas frontcourt took a huge hit in the offseason, as it lost Cameron Ridley, Connor Lammert, and Prince Ibeh to graduation. The only returning big man on the roster is 6’8″ senior Shaquille Cleare, who struggled to find playing time last season after transferring from Maryland.
The immediate playing time available makes Banks a highly valuable recruit. At 6’11” with great athleticism, he both fills their needs and fits their systems. Banks can run up and down the floor really well, and he moves across the lane for blocks with good agility.
Offensively, Banks is just starting to blossom as a prospect. He has only been playing basketball for a few years, and his improvement has been rapid. He already shows good touch with both hands and can hit mid-range shots as well.
On the defensive side of the court, Banks brings the most to the table for the Longhorns right away. He’s an adept shot-blocker with great length and good instincts. He gets up off the floor well and uses good timing on help-side blocks. He has the length and athleticism to help on pick-and-rolls, too.
As he adds weight and strength, and continues to improve his feel for the game, Banks will turn into a very good starter in the Longhorns program.
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