Brian Flinn:
Future150 National Recruiting Analyst. Covering high school basketball nationally.
Houston, TX (Future150) -- After losing a lot of talent from last year's team, Shaka Smart has done a good job of reloading instead of rebuilding. A talented 2016 class should ensure that the Longhorns shouldn't take too far of a step back this season.
Smart and company added an important piece in the class of 2017 on Friday, as Houston native Royce Hamm made it official and commited to the program. The 6-foot-8 big man is an excellent rebounder and should find his way onto the floor during his first season thanks to that and his ability to protect the rim.
It is easy to see the upside in Hamm. He is a fluid athlete that first caught Future150's eye as an 8th grader at Future150 Houston camp a few years ago. His ability to face up and knock down mid-range jumper will allow him to stretch more traditional big men out, and he will be able to take them off the dribble as well.
Most importantly, Hamm fills a need for the Longhorns. As it stands now, they will only have three bigs on the roster after this season, and there's no promise that Jarrett Allen will remain after his freshman campaign. With that in mind, expect Hamm to have a big impact sooner in his career rather than later.
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