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Texas locks up in-state forward in Class of 2017

Shaka Smart

Texas head coach Shaka Smart instructs his team in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Baylor on Monday, Feb. 1, 2016, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

AP

Texas landed a solid piece for its future on Friday as in-state forward Royce Hamm pledged to the Longhorns on Twitter.

A Class of 2017 prospect, the 6-foot-7 Hamm is an athletic 200-pound forward who could see time at the three or four in college depending on continued skill development. Since Hamm moves well laterally and does a lot of little things like rebound and make hustle plays, he’s a nice fit for Shaka Smart’s system as he can be a good defender in that system.

The intriguing part of Hamm’s development will be how he improves his perimeter shot and putting the ball on the floor. Hamm shot 6-for-16 in Nike EYBL, which could make him a weapon as a stretch four if Texas opts to go with a smaller and quicker lineup.

Hamm is the first Texas commitment in the Class of 2017 as the Longhorns could have another big recruiting class to fill. He’s considered the No. 138 prospect in the Class of 2017, according to Rivals.