Marcus Spears Jr. of Dynamic Prep (Irving, Texas), the nation’s top-rated prospect in the Class of 2027, announced on ESPN on Thursday he was reclassifying to the Class of 2026.

The 6-foot-9 forward posted on his Instagram page that he was committing to the University of Texas and will join the Longhorns for the 2026-27 season. He had be weighing offers from other schools such as Arizona, Kentucky, LSU and North Carolina.

Marcus Spears Jr. announced hit commitment to Texas and reclassification on Thursday. The Dynamic Prep standout will join the Longhorns this season after averaging 15.1 points per night in his junior season. (FILE PHOTO: Julie L. Brown)

The son of former NFL defensive lineman Marcus Spears, the younger Spears averaged 15.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks as Dynamic Prep went 17-2 and reached the Chipotle Nationals semifinals. 

In addition to a father that played in the NFL, Spears’ mother, Aiysha (Smith) Spears, played the WNBA. His sister Cari Spears plays volleyball at the University of Texas and was the 2024 MaxPreps National Player of the Year at Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas).

The younger Spears averaged 20.9 points and 8.7 rebounds this spring on the Nike EYBL circuit Last year, he averaged 14 points per night for USA Basketball as it won gold at the FIBA U16 Men’s AmeriCup.

Spears, who is 17, will have to play at least two years in college before being eligible for the NBA Draft. 

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