Texas lands hoops commit No. 2 for 2019 as Kai Jones makes his pick

Before this evening, Shaka Smart and the Longhorns had one 2019 commitment from Elkins (Fort Bend) guard/wing Donovan Williams. Tonight, the Longhorns added their second when Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, New Hampshire) wing/combo forward Kai Jones announced his commitment to Texas.

The similarities between Jones and Williams don’t end there, though. Both are Rivals150 four-star prospects. Both are known for impressive length and size at their position with the ability to profile at and defend multiple positions. Maybe most importantly, both Jones and Williams were two of the country’s top rising prospects this summer when they went from barely on the high-major radar to two of the most sought-after prospects in the country, and both players have developmental arrows pointing in the right direction.

“Kai is a tremendously talented prospect that really, is far from where he is going to be down the road,” said Rivals.com analyst Corey Evans. “His upside is staggering and the versatility that he presents on both ends is tremendous. On the defensive end is where he will be best at immediately as he can defend practically four positions and is the perfect piece for the style Shaka Smart wants to play.”

Now, Texas has both locked up.

Jones picked the Longhorns over Florida State and Baylor, and he also took an official visit to Syracuse, who has also offered. The nation’s No. 73 prospect also holds offers from Arizona, Georgetown, Iowa State, Illinois, Kansas, Louisville, Miami, Oregon, Stanford, Wake Forest, and others. Jones was accompanied by his father on his official visit to Texas the weekend of September 22nd when the Longhorns defeated TCU in football.

“Beating the best of the best for him signifies further Smart and his staff’s ability to lure premier talent to the UT campus even if there was no pre-existing connection to the university or staff beforehand,” said Evans.

This is a big recruiting win for the Longhorns against some big names, and against one of the nation’s best head coach recruiters, FSU’s Leonard Hamilton. And it’s an impressive job by new assistant coach Neill Berry, who worked diligently to help lead the charge.

“Once they found out about me back in June they made sure to be everywhere that I went. I don't think that they missed a game that I played. No matter where I was, somebody was there making sure that I saw the orange and those Longhorns,” Jones said.

As a member of Team Breakdown on the Under Armour AAU circuit, Jones often played as a big because at 6-10 he was the tallest player on the team. However, he’ll play as a combo forward at Texas, and could log some minutes at the wing spot as well.

A native of The Bahamas, Jones is still relatively new to basketball, which was part of the reason why he improved so rapidly this summer. The four-star prospect plays with a terrific motor and passion for the game, which often shows in his relentlessness on the glass, how well he gets up-and-down the floor, and his defensive ability.

Although his defense gets most of the attention, Jones has an impressive amount of skill that often didn’t show during the AAU season because of his role on his team. For a long, 6-10 player still growing into his body and his game, Jones is able to put the ball on the floor and attack from the perimeter in a surprisingly solid manner, has a handle that should develop well, and displays the type of shooting mechanics and touch that will eventually translate to the perimeter, perhaps sooner than later thanks to his work-ethic and appetite for improving.

Coaches can’t teach size, length, and athleticism, though, which will undoubtedly transfer at the next level as Jones will arrive at Texas with a very, very high ceiling as a multi-year player capable of eventually playing professional basketball. A terrific student that seriously considered the likes of Stanford, Jones valued UT’s strong academics during his decision-making process.

“I feel like I can come in and make some plays because of my skill on top of my athletic slashing,” Jones said. “I can be a mismatch for either a big guy on the perimeter or a small guy in the post and can play in all types of lineups.”

WHAT'S NEXT FOR TEXAS?

The Longhorns aimed to take three during the November early signing period if they could. Now, they're at two, which means one obvious spot is remaining, and Texas hopes it's filled by Westlake five-star big man Will Baker. Texas remains in good position for the local product.

Beyond Baker, Texas is still in the hunt for five-star Jaden McDaniels. McDaniels has Texas in his final five, and just began taking official visits. It's possible McDaniels takes an official visit to Texas in the fall, although he's likely to be a prospect that waits until the spring to sign.