Texas Tech basketball: Key recruiting targets to monitor this fall

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The Texas Tech Red Raiders reveal new banners for their 2018-2019 Big 12 Championship and the 2019 Final Four before the college basketball game against the Eastern Illinois Panthers at United Supermarkets Arena on November 05, 2019 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

Guard Jaden Hardy has the Texas Tech basketball program in his loaded top 12.

Another player that seems to have interested in Beard’s program is Jaden Hardy, a 5-star guard from Henderson, Nevada. The 6-foot-4 prospect is rated the No. 5 player in the nation and the No. 1 combo guard in his class.

In addition to Tech, he has as top-12 that includes Arizona State, Arizona, Georgia, UCLA, Georgetown, Oregon, Kentucky, Michigan, Memphis, Kansas, and Illinois. It is believed that Kentucky and UCLA have emerged as the frontrunners in this battle.

https://twitter.com/LVProspects/status/986710248772714497?s=20

"Josh Gershon of 247Sports has the following scouting report on Hardy’s profile page: “Very good size for combo guard with long arms and plus athleticism. Impressive projectable frame with plenty of room to gain strength. Extremely versatile playmaker who can create for teammates or himself. Relatively efficient scorer from all three levels. “Impressive ball skills and vision. Has size, length and lateral quickness to guard both one and two. Has been on consistent upward trajectory since arriving in high school. Can still improve jumper and scoring package. Will need to improve assist/turnover ratio to hit upside as a primary ball-handler. Easy elite prospect at this stage who currently projects as first round pick with lottery upside if he continues on same path.”"

Hardy is approximately the same size and build as former Red Raider Jahmi’us Ramsey and he looks like an even more explosive guard than Ramsey, who is expected to be Tech’s second-ever one-and-done NBA Draft pick later this fall. And getting to the NBA in a hurry is a significant factor for a player of Hardy’s prestige given that he is expected to pursue his NBA career after only one season at the collegiate level.

That’s why it is so critical that Tech has developed players like Ramsey and Zhaire Smith into one-and-done players while also turning Jarrett Culver into the No. 6 pick in the 2019 draft after just two years on campus. Hopefully, that will be enough to convince Hardy to trust his development to Chris Beard.

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