Marcus Spears Jr. Commits to Texas, Reclassifies to Class of 2026
Marcus Spears Jr. Commits to Texas
Marcus Spears Jr., the No. 1 ranked prospect in the ESPN SC Next Class of 2027, is reclassifying to the Class of 2026 and committing to the Texas Longhorns men's basketball program. He made the announcement on Instagram, and ESPN's Adam Schefter broke it on social media.
Who Is He?
Spears Jr. is a 6-foot-8 to 6-foot-9, 195-pound lefty power forward from Plano, TX. He plays for Dynamic Prep in Irving, TX, a program run by former NBA player Jermaine O'Neal. He was the top-ranked recruit on both ESPN and 247Sports in the 2027 class before reclassifying.
He comes from an athletic family. His father, Marcus Spears Sr., is an ESPN NFL analyst and former Dallas Cowboys defensive end who was picked 20th overall in the 2005 NFL Draft and was an All-American at LSU in 2004. His mother, Aiysha Smith, was a WNBA player and the 7th overall pick by the Washington Mystics in 2003 after an All-SEC career at LSU. His sister Macaria Spears plays volleyball at Texas and was the No. 1 volleyball recruit in the Class of 2025.
What He Brings to Texas
Spears Jr. is a versatile frontcourt prospect. Scouts describe him as mobile and athletic with a natural feel around the rim, high-post comfort, developing shooting range, and the lateral quickness to defend on the perimeter. He averaged 6.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Dynamic Prep in 2024-25.