From zero stars to NBA prospect, Texas' Sir'Jabari Rice keeps defying expectations
Former Texas guard Sir'Jabari Rice was often referred to as the Longhorns' sixth starter by the coaching staff due to his key contributions off the bench for a team that reached the Elite Eight last season.AUSTIN — Had you asked anyone five years ago whether Sir’Jabari Rice would ever play in the NBA, their honest-to-goodness answer would probably have been, “Only in his wildest dreams.”
Even if Rice doesn’t receive that vindicating phone call Thursday night, he should be among the priority undrafted free agents ahead of next month’s Summer League. As he’s shown over and over, all Rice needs is a chance. Then-associate head Rodney Terry had witnessed Rice’s stone-faced prowess firsthand as UTEP’s head coach from 2018-20. And when former Texas head coach Chris Beard pored over film and spoke with the graduate transfer who couldn’t even sniff an offer from the Longhorns coming out of high school, it was a done deal.
Rice went on to average 11.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game and won the Big 12's Sixth Man of the Year award. He then averaged 16.8 points , 2.4 3-pointers and two assists per game during Texas' first run to the Elite Eight in 15 years, a sizzling stretch that began with seven made 3s in the first round.
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