Spring Break
Texas Winning Recruiting Battle
Justin Verrier
Issue date: 1/29/07 Section: Sports
Texas head coach Rick Barnes has established himself over the past few years as one of the premier recruiters in all of college basketball. His knack for sweet-talking prospects and parents has led to some of the top players from around the nation going to Austin.
But this year, Barnes won't have to travel far to persuade the player he covets most.
Kevin Durant has exploded onto the college basketball scene, carrying the Longhorns' offense by averaging 23.9 points and 11.1 boards per game in just his first season. The freshman's play has been so dominant that Durant's name has even been thrown around in Player of the Year discussions.
But to all of those who haven't been able to witness the way Durant can single-handedly take over a college game first-hand, you better take a look while you can - the former high school All-American could be yet another in the long line of Longhorns to leave school early in pursuit of an NBA career after this season.
Over his eight seasons at the helm, Barnes has not only turned Texas into one of the best programs in the country, he has also made basketball matter in a state where football is a close second to breathing on the list of priorities for the general public. But despite the success his Longhorns have garnered over his tenure, Barnes has not been able to bring home a national championship; he's led Texas to the Final Four once in eight NCAA Tournament appearances.
But this lack of success in reaching the title game isn't to be blamed on Barnes' coaching abilities - which are among the best in college basketball. In fact, it has been, in part, a result of his top-notch recruiting skills - the players he lures to Frank Erwin Events Center are so talented that many have left school early to enter the NBA Draft.
After big runs in 2003 and last year, both Longhorn teams were decimated by early entries into the NBA. After the 2003 Final Four, T.J. Ford, the Naismith Player of the Year and also the winner of the John R. Wooden Award that year, opted out of his senior year and was chosen in the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks.
But this year, Barnes won't have to travel far to persuade the player he covets most.
Kevin Durant has exploded onto the college basketball scene, carrying the Longhorns' offense by averaging 23.9 points and 11.1 boards per game in just his first season. The freshman's play has been so dominant that Durant's name has even been thrown around in Player of the Year discussions.
But to all of those who haven't been able to witness the way Durant can single-handedly take over a college game first-hand, you better take a look while you can - the former high school All-American could be yet another in the long line of Longhorns to leave school early in pursuit of an NBA career after this season.
Over his eight seasons at the helm, Barnes has not only turned Texas into one of the best programs in the country, he has also made basketball matter in a state where football is a close second to breathing on the list of priorities for the general public. But despite the success his Longhorns have garnered over his tenure, Barnes has not been able to bring home a national championship; he's led Texas to the Final Four once in eight NCAA Tournament appearances.
But this lack of success in reaching the title game isn't to be blamed on Barnes' coaching abilities - which are among the best in college basketball. In fact, it has been, in part, a result of his top-notch recruiting skills - the players he lures to Frank Erwin Events Center are so talented that many have left school early to enter the NBA Draft.
After big runs in 2003 and last year, both Longhorn teams were decimated by early entries into the NBA. After the 2003 Final Four, T.J. Ford, the Naismith Player of the Year and also the winner of the John R. Wooden Award that year, opted out of his senior year and was chosen in the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks.
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