Marcus Spears Jr., considered the top prospect in the class of 2027, has chosen to reclassify to 2026 and will be joining the Texas Longhorns.
“Texas basketball is becoming a big thing again, and I am excited to be part of it,” Spears told ESPN. “The Texas fans can expect a worker with a lot of energy. I will be trying to bring Texas a national championship.”
Why Marcus Spears, who Reclassified From 2027, Picked Texas
Spears Jr. chose Texas, which reached the Sweet 16 in Sean Miller’s first season at the helm, over Arizona, LSU, and Kentucky, among others. At just 17, Spears will have to spend two seasons in Austin before considering a move to the NBA. He reportedly didn’t consider playing collegiate basketball this upcoming season until about a month ago.
Spears is a lengthy and athletic 6- 10 left-handed combo forward who is expected to make an immediate impact. Spears is a face-up scorer with 3-point range and playmaking ability out of pick-and-rolls. He thrives in transition and is also a good rebounder.
Defensively, Spears is a versatile defender capable of guarding the 2 through 5. He is a disruptor on that end with the ability to protect the rim. However, he needs to continue working on his 3-point shot and get stronger physically, as he weighs just 210 pounds.
The Plano (Texas) native played this past season at Dynamic Prep, where he was named the 2026 National Junior of the Year. He was also the only player to rank in the top 10 in both scoring and rebounding on the Nike EYBL, averaging 20.9 points and 8.9 rebounds.
Spears is a consensus five-star recruit in 2026, ranking in the top 10 by all three major recruiting rankings. ESPN has Spears as the fourth-best prospect in 2026. 247Sports has him at No. 8 and Rivals at No. 9.
Spears is the son of ESPN analyst and former NFL player Marcus Spears Sr. and Aiyisha Smith, who was the No. 7 pick in the 2003 WNBA draft by the Washington Wizards. Spears joins sister Cari Spears at UT. Cari Spears was named to the All-SEC Team as a freshman volleyball player this past season.
“Committed to Texas because I want a chance to be in school with my sister at the end of the day,” Spears said, speaking to Inside Texas. “Me and her have a really tight bond. “I made up my mind two years ago I was going to Texas.”
Longhorns 2026-27 Roster Complete
Spears fills the final roster spot on the 2026-27 roster. He is the 11th newcomer for Miller and the sixth incoming freshman. All 15 players have at least two years of eligibility remaining.
Speaking of the newcomers, Spears’ commitment moves the Longhorns past Duke for the top honors for best recruiting class overall, according to 247Sports rankings. The Longhorns’ transfer class is ranked fourth in the nation behind Louisville (6 transfers), Tennessee (8) and Kentucky (6).
Former TCU forward David Punch, who showed tremendous improvement in year two for the Horned Frogs, is the top transfer for UT. Six-foot-1 guard Isaiah Johnson had a tremendous freshman campaign at Colorado while Amari Evans (Tennessee) and Elyjah Freeman (Auburn) had solid years.
Texas’ 2026 freshman class is ranked fourth in the nation. Spears is the lone five-star, with his Dynamic Prep teammate Austin Goosby (Melissa, TX) being a consensus four-star recruit. Bo Ogdon (Austin, TX) and Joe Sterling (Sterling City, CA) are also four-star recruits. Six-foot-10 center Coleman Elkins (Blairstown, NJ) and 6-3 Lithuanian point guard Mantas Laurencikas round out the 2026 recruiting class.
Matas Vokietaitis is the Longhorns’ top returnee from a team that went 21-15 and finished 10th in the SEC at 10-10. Vokietaitis had a tremendous sophomore campaign, averaging 15.6 points and 7.1 rebounds in his first season at Texas after transferring from FAU. Anthon McDermott is the only other returning player who saw action last season. Meanwhile, John Clark, the consensus No. 63 recruit in 2025, and Lewis Obiorah, from London (England), redshirted.
“You look at our roster, we have 14 players,” Miller said in May. “All 14 can come back. We don’t have anybody that will exhaust their eligibility after this year. You guys know better than me that doesn’t mean they will, but my hope is that the retention part of me and — the question you just asked me — that it can be fewer from year to year but it doesn’t always have to be the entire roster.”
Photo Credit: Kyle Terada, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
