Marcus Spears Jr., the nation’s No. 1-ranked prospect in the 2027 recruiting class, has officially announced that he is reclassifying to the 2026 class and will continue his basketball career at Texas, he told ESPN on Thursday.
The 6-foot-10 power forward chose the Longhorns over several other major programs, including Arizona, LSU, and Kentucky.
A Texas native, Spears has strong ties to the university. His sister, Cari Spears, is already a student-athlete at Texas as a member of the Longhorns volleyball team.
During his recruitment, Spears made two unofficial visits to Austin, including one on June 16, while also taking an official visit to Arizona before ultimately deciding to stay in his home state.
“Texas basketball is becoming a big thing again, and I am excited to be part of it,” said Spears. “The Texas fans can expect a worker with a lot of energy. I will be trying to bring Texas a national championship.”
His father, ESPN analyst and former NFL defensive end Marcus Spears, said the opportunity to play for his home-state school made the decision especially meaningful.
“Marcus Jr. grew up in Texas, and there’s nothing like playing for your home school and winning,” said the elder Spears. “I experienced that growing up in Louisiana at LSU. This is his decision and his future.”
The decision to reclassify only came together about a month ago after Spears’ mother, former WNBA player Aiysha Spears, suggested accelerating his timeline. Following the move, Spears now enters ESPN’s 2026 SC Next 100 rankings at No. 4.
The Longhorns’ 2026 class is now ranked No. 4 nationally and features five-star forward Austin Goosby along with four other talented recruits.
No. 1 Recruit Marcus Spears Jr. Reclassifies To 2026, Picks Texas Over Arizona https://t.co/UiyKvD9Vhb
— RealGM (@RealGM) July 9, 2026
