Post-Durant Horns would need to re-tool offensive game plan
The Longhorns have hit a snag that only Kevin Durant can easily untangle.
If Kevin Durant leaves for the NBA draft as most expect, the Longhorns will need to find a true scorer to return to the elite status that coach Rick Barnes has created: four NCAA Sweet 16s or beyond in the last six years.
Barnes once found himself in a position somewhat similar to where he would be without Kevin Durant — when All-American T.J. Ford left for the NBA in 2003. The Longhorns, without a superstar, reached the Sweet 16 the next season.
Four freshmen could hold a few answers to the current rebuilding process, but astute recruiting for the class of 2008 will be necessary for complete restoration.
Texas, with four freshmen in the starting lineup, ranked fifth nationally in scoring this season, first in the Big 12. But Texas had just three reliable scorers — Kevin Durant, D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams — which enabled opponents to sometimes contain one or two of them by ignoring other Longhorns.
Losing Kevin Durant would make it more difficult for Augustin and Abrams. On Sunday, when Augustin disappeared from the offense, the Longhorns were blown out by Southern California, 87-68 in the second round of the tournament.
Barnes has signed three recruits for next season. The best of them, supposedly, is Gary Johnson, a power forward from Aldine whose toughness is admired by many, including Texas A&M coach Billy Gillispie.
But at 6 feet, 7 inches, Johnson might not be tall enough for the Longhorns to just throw the ball to him inside and expect baskets.
Barnes has two taller players coming in: 6-8 1/2 Alexis Wangmene, a power forward from Blair Academy in New Jersey by way of Cameroon; and Clint Chapman, a 6-10 forward from Canby, Ore., who might be more effective away from the basket.
As for the perimeter, Barnes has a commitment — though no signature yet — from Dogus Balbay, a 6-1 combination guard from Turkey who is attending Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. Balbay can sign with the Longhorns in April.
Given those four players, but not Kevin Durant, Barnes would present a completely different look next season. The offense might have to be more interior-oriented than perimeter-based.
More structure might be required as well. This season, Barnes used what the team calls "random screening motion," allowing, he said, the Longhorns to play to their strengths, determining for themselves who gets the ball.
If the Longhorns lose Kevin Durant, they will need better defense to succeed next season, a similarity to the transition from Ford's departure to the 2003-04 team.
That team did not have a true point guard or a big-time scorer. But Brandon Mouton worked the perimeter, P.J. Tucker scored inside, Royal Ivey provided the glue, and nearly everybody made important shots at one time or another.
The 2003-04 team had more experience than the Longhorns will have next season. Tucker was a freshman, but Mouton, Ivey, Brian Boddicker and James Thomas were seniors.
The Longhorns next season will rely on sophomores and freshmen, as well as the junior guard Abrams.
"We've all got to get better," Abrams said. "Kevin is a great part of our offense. Losing him would hurt us. But we all have to look at ourselves and get better and make up for losing him if he does decide to leave."
Eventually, Barnes must recruit perimeter scoring, starting with the class of 2008. Several top players have Texas on their list of potential destinations, including J'Covan Brown from Port Arthur.
This season's team was picked by Big 12 coaches to finish fourth in the conference. The Longhorns finished third, but they had a chance at Kansas on the final day of the regular season to create a tie for first place.
In the end, Barnes didn't have enough players with sufficient competence to complement Kevin Durant.
"I'm sure we'll look back on it in the next couple of weeks and think about it and know we had a good year," Barnes said. "We did some wonderful things, but it's hard right now. I think we're better than we were in this tournament.
"I am proud of these guys. I'm proud of them for what they had to settle into and learn on the go."
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