Texas basketball could have the most players selected in the 2021 NBA draft in school history

With the recent news surrounding Texas forward Greg Brown choosing to declare for the 2021 NBA draft, it brought the total number of Longhorn draft prospects to three. Brown will join teammates Kai Jones and Matt Coleman III who have each announced their decision to turn pro.

The only remaining player that Texas is waiting to hear from is Jericho Sims, who must make a decision by midnight on May 31 as it’s the deadline to declare for the NBA draft. If he does in fact declare, it would bring the total Longhorns in the draft to four players.

If each of these four players were to be selected in either the first or second round of the draft, it would set a program record for the number of Texas players selected in a single NBA Draft.

Texas’ program has had as many as three players selected in a single draft. Coincidentally enough, this happened only three times in 2006, 2010 and 2011.

Brown has been considered a lottery pick going back to the start of the 2020-21 season, but has since been projected as a mid-to-late first round pick. Jones has been considered a first-round pick after a strong season, with the potential to go in the top-10.

Coleman hasn’t been considered a first round player, but he has potential second-round talent due to his ability to score from the field, three-point line and from the free-throw line. He lacks ideal size and has struggled in man defense.

Sims is in the same projected draft range as Coleman, to become a second-round talent for his ability to be a strong scorer and defender in the paint, but lacks the ability to shoot outside or from the free-throw line.

Texas’ program under head coach Chris Beard seems to be turning the page as a premiere basketball school. Having four players drafted in a 60-pick draft (6.7% of the draft) would be another stepping stone to how the Longhorns will be viewed in the future landscape of college basketball.