Texas Tech basketball: Chris Beard talks about his 2020 signing class

4 of 4

Nimari Burnett: 6-foot-3, 185-pounds from Chicago, Illinois

Taking over the title as the highest-rated player to ever sign with Texas Tech is the No. 22 player in the country, Nimari Burnett. A dynamic scorer who is playing his high school ball in California, he verbally committed to the Red Raiders on Tuesday after also considering Oregon, Alabama, and Michigan.

"“He’s everything we look for,” Beard said. “No. 1, he’s a winner. He’s won at every level he’s ever played at from when he was a little kid, to the [AAU] circuit, to USA Basketball, to FIBA 3-on-3, to the Peach Jam, the guy just knows how to win.”"

Though his build is not overwhelming, he does have a 6-foot-9-inch wing-span which makes him a potential lock-down defender on the perimeter. That’s an aspect of his game that’s often overlooked but which will no doubt be vital in Beard’s system.

"From 247Sports, Brian Snow has this scouting report: “A big-bodied guard who excels both on and off the ball. When he plays on the ball, he uses his frame with great length to overpower defenders and get to into the lane. Once there, Burnett shows solid floor vision and is good at finding shooters. When he plays off the ball, Burnett makes himself into a scorer who can get buckets by both attacking the basket and from deep. While he is a better athlete than most expect at first blush, he does need to continue to get into better shape – which should help all aspects of his game.”"

There’s not a spot on the floor from which he can’t score, He is lethal with his first step and can get to the rim at will. But he also has a nice touch from the mid-range and outside of the 3-point arc.

Though he is about an inch taller and has a much longer reach, in his highlights, he has a little bit of Jarius Jackson in his game. The second-leading scorer in Tech history, Jackson played for the Red Raiders from 2004-07.

More from Wreck'Em Red

Though much more explosive than Jackson, Burnett is just as natural of a scorer as Jackson but he likely won’t hang around Lubbock long enough to challenge Jackson or Andre Emmett’s scoring marks. Should current freshman Jahmi’us Ramsey head to the NBA next year as many believe he will, Burnett will step right into his shoes as a leading offensive weapon for the Red Raiders and give Tech another star to build around.

"“I just want to thank everybody that came before us, before this recruiting class,” Beard said when discussing this monumental day in program history. “It’s our fans, our season ticket holders. We’re building a program that’s worthy of the best players in the counrty considering… “And then, again, we’re not sitting here today if it wasn’t for Keenan Evans, Zach Smith, and Justin Gray, and Tommy Hamilton. These guys have paved the way for the success we’re having now in recruiting.”"

Though the thought of bringing in blue-chip talent is intoxicating, it also comes with some risk. Beard is as demanding on his players as any coach in the country and not every top player would be willing to grind away and fit the mold of what Red Raider basketball has become. Fortunately, Burnett is a player who already has a reputation for being a relentless worker who welcomes input and is constantly seeking ways to get better.

"“Theses are 5-star players but they still resemble everything we look for,” Beard said. “You know, we’re a program that says ‘we never want to lose our chip’ and ‘we want to stay hungry’ and, these guys, as talented as they are, they all have a lot to prove. “They’re all skill-development guys. As good as these guys are, most recently talking to Nimari as one example…this guy wants to get better and he has a lot of confidence in his game and him and I share the view of where basketball will take him. But he’s also a guy who’s in the gym every single day. Micah gets to school every day before most people are up. Buzo works on his craft when other people aren’t looking. And Nimari has that love of the game, that addiction to the game that’s required. “So, I think what’s special is that we’re obviously getting talented, talented guys but they’re also staying within the realm of what we look for which is love of the game, don’t lose your chip, be competetive, wake up every day trying to win, and try to prove people wrong. So I’m really proud that these guys fit the mold of what we try to look for and they’re obviously talented, talented players.”"

Next. Tech's recruiting revolution. dark

After taking a group of 3-star players and journeyman transfers to the Elite Eight and then the National Title Game in consecutive seasons, Beard has shown what he can do with talent that most people believed to be just average. Now, we are all about to find out what the nation’s fastest-rising coach can do with players that everyone in the country would love to have.

Home/Texas Tech Basketball