https://twitter.com/NimariBurnett/status/1194320415084072960?s=20
The verbal commitment of 5-star guard Nimari Burnett to the Texas Tech basketball program on Tuesday was just the latest step in an incredible recruiting turnaround for the Red Raiders.
Chris Beard has done it again. For the third time in his four years as Texas Tech basketball head coach, he’s landed the highest-rated player in program history.
The latest addition to that list is 5-star guard Nimari Burnett, a 6-foot-3 prospect originally from Chicago, Illinois but playing his high school ball in California. Rated the No. 22 player in the nation by 247Sports.com, he surpasses 2019 signee Jahmi’us Ramsey as the highest-rated player to ever commit to Tech.
Ramsey was the No. 32 player in the 2019 signing class and he took the crown of the program’s highest-rated all-time signee away from Khavon Moore, the No. 54 overall player in the nation in 2018. (Of course, Moore is no longer in Lubbock as he transferred to Clemson following last season.)
Getting into the race for Burnett later than most, Tech has been prioritizing him since adding assistant coach Ulrich Malagi to Beard’s staff in August. Now, the newest Red Raider coach (with the help of Beard of course) has brought the biggest recruiting prize in Texas Tech history to campus.
"“I chose Texas Tech because of the winning culture of the program and the coaching staff,” Burnett said to ESPN.com “It felt like a big family.”"
As one might expect with a top 25 player, Burnett’s offensive game is off the charts. He can play either on the ball, where he can create offense for his teammates or off the ball where he can score from anywhere on the floor, including long-distance.
Defensively, his 6-foot-9 wingspan allows him to guard multiple spots on the floor and check some players that may have a size advantage on him. We saw what a player with an unusual wingspan can be as a perimeter defender this past season when Matt Mooney became one of the nation’s best defensive guards thanks to his long reach which helped him average 1.8 steals per game.
"According to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi, “Burnett brings a complete set of scoring skills to the game, including a deep 3-point shot with a compact and quick release. He has a knack of going into the paint to post up, which adds to his offensive package. As a secondary ball-handler, he displays confidence, control, and vision to set up the offense or set up his teammates.”"
5-star guard @NimariBurnett has committed to Texas Tech! The Chicago native and his @ProlificPrep squad travel to Illinois for 2 games later this week! @Chambana15 pic.twitter.com/A0MFbUlTWx
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 12, 2019
Those skills allowed him to average 19.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists for Team Why Not on the Nike EYBL circuit. It wasn’t until after that strong showing in the summer circuit that the Red Raiders entered the picture. But after convincing the prized recruit to visit Lubbock, he began to see West Texas as a good fit.
"“I really did not have my eyes on Texas Tech early in the process,” Burnett said. “After the visit, I changed my mind. They were very transparent in their approach. Once you get the gut feeling on where to go, you just know it.”"
There’s no need to state the obvious in regards to how monumental this win in for the Texas Tech basketball program. But let’s take a moment to consider just how far this program has come as a recruiting powerhouse.
Despite having only three players committed, Tech’s 2020 class currently sits at No. 5 in the nation, according to 247Sports, behind only Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee. That comes on the heels of the 2019 class ending the year at No. 16 overall.
So let’s dive a little deeper into the history of Texas Tech basketball recruiting to see just how far we’ve come. As we do, almost everyone will have a greater appreciation for what Chris Beard has been able to accomplish in Lubbock and how much different of a recruiting game Tech is playing these days.