The Texas Tech basketball program has secured a verbal commitment from 2020 forward Chibuzo Agbo, a rising star on the high school basketball circuit.
Monday, Chris Beard and the Texas Tech basketball program picked up their first verbal commitment from a member of the class of 2020. Chibuzo Agbo, a 6-foot-7 forward from San Diego, California announced his intention to join the Red Raiders on Twitter Monday afternoon after visiting Lubbock last week.
Rated by 247Sports’ composite rankings as a 3-star prospect, he is the No. 32 small forward in the nation and the No. 191 overall recruit in his class. In addition to Tech, he holds offers from Arizona, Marquette, San Diego State, Southern California, Butler, and others.
The 215-pounder is seeing his stock rise after impressive showings on the summer travel squad circuit. He turned heads by scoring 15 points per game in the final four games of the Addidas Gauntlet Finale event in Southern California this summer while playing for a star-studded Compton Magic AAU team.
Committed ‼️Thank you to the Saints basketball family & the Compton Magic basketball family for helping me get to where I am today. Thank you as well to every one else who has invested in me. Tech fans wya??? #GunsUp #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/hf9pxGnDMy
— Chibuzo Agbo (@Babybuzzo) August 12, 2019
Lauded for his versatility on both ends of the court, Agbo could be a potential replacement for grad transfer Chris Clarke, who will exhaust his eligibility this season after transferring to Tech from Virginia Tech. He certainly fits the mold of a Chris Beard player.
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In this highlight video from his high school season, we can see that Agbo has a beautiful jump shot that he can hit from both the mid-range and from behind the arc. Already with the frame of a collegiate, he is also able to power his way into the paint driving both ways and using both hands to finish at the rim.
Yet, it might be his attitude that fits best with the culture of Texas Tech basketball. When discussing why he chose the Red Raiders, Agbo pointed to the intangible aspects of Beard’s program.
"“For me I would almost beat myself up later if I didn’t chose Texas Tech, just seeing the work they are putting in every day and the consistency of them working out every day and people being there to work them out,” Agbo told Evan Daniels of 247Sports.“I think it’s the best place for me developmental wise,” he added. “That was a big part of it. Also it’s just a winning culture. I think they are going to do something big over there the next couple of years and that’s something I wanted to be part.”"
This news comes just a day after 4-star center Jonathan Aku picked Texas A&M over the Red Raiders. The 6-foot-10 prospect is the no. 117 prospect in the class of 2020 but is expected to reclassify in order to be able to play this season.
The Red Raiders may still be looking to add to the 2019-20 team given the uncertain status of junior forward Deshawn Corprew, who was suspended from the program this summer. There has been no word on whether or not the former South Plains J.C. star will be allowed back for his second season with the program but given that Tech was actively trying to recruit another 2019 player, there’s reason to believe Corprew’s time as a Red Raider might be over.
Corprew has a similar game to Agbo and he would have been a senior when Tech’s newest commit arrived. But is Corprew is gone next season along with Clarke, Agbo could be asked to fill an even more important role as the rising star could step in right away and help the Red Raiders continue their tradition of fielding versatile and powerful forwards.