A little over one week before the Early Signing Period on Nov. 13, Texas basketball and head coach Rodney Terry have secured their first 2025 commitment, high-four-star Houston (TX) Bellaire power forward John Clark. On3 reported on Nov. 1 that Clark committed to Texas over the Houston Cougars, Texas A&M Aggies, and Kansas Jayhawks late Friday afternoon.
Texas basketball gets future frontcourt elite upside and versatility in 4-Star PF commit John Clark
Terry and the Longhorns got a huge addition to get the 2025 recruiting class lift-off, landing a commitment from one of the top big men prospects from Texas for this cycle.
At 6-foot-9 and 230 pounds, Clark ranks as the No. 35 recruit in the nation in the 2025 class in the On3 Industry Ranking, No. 8 power forward, and No. 3 from Texas.
Texas hosted Clark for an official visit back in September, along with a couple of unofficial trips over the past year.
Clark told 247Sports that the proximity to home and relationships with the Texas coaches were big deciding factors for his decision to commit to the Longhorns.
“The school felt like home more than any of the other schools recruiting me. The coaches, players, the alum and the campus are things that I want to be a part of.”
– John Clark
For the first few years of his high school career, Clark played for Houston (TX) Klein Cain High before transferring to Link Academy in Missouri last year. Clark wanted to return home to be close to his family in a campus that felt like home for him for college.
“Me being from Texas and having my family at all my games is important to me. I also liked the layout for me and how the staff told me if I was going to play a lot of minutes. They’ve gotten players to the next level from my position and their skill development is great.”
– John Clark
What Clark brings to the table for Texas?
Clark is a really good developing athlete and a versatile big man. He’s added good weight to his frame in the past couple of years, weighing in around 230 pounds before his senior season at Link Academy this fall.
The wingspan, around 7-foot, is a major strength for Clark, which allows him to effectively box out around the glass and protect the rim in the frontcourt.
For a taller big man who can play at the four or the five, Clark runs the floor really well. He’s a good athlete with fluidity to get out and run the floor in transition, and move well when he’s running down the lane on the offensive end or contesting on defense in transition.
Clark is a coordinated athlete, who has really good hands for a big man. He’s got a good handle of the basketball and a soft touch around the rim on the offensive end of the floor. Clark’s inside jump shot and finishing ability around the rim really standout for his offensive skill set.
Where Clark must improve down low is his post moves and back to the basket game in the paint. He doesn’t have a staple move that he can go to when he’s matched up one-on-one with another tall big in the paint on offense.
On the defensive end, Clark can be an effective anchor in the paint for the Longhorns. He’s a tremendous rebounder and a good rim protector. He uses his long wingspan and good verticality to grab contested boards on both ends of the floor and to contest shots effectively around the rim on defense.
From what I’ve seen on Clark’s highlights and film, he needs to improve his off-ball defense and ability to close out on mid-range and perimeter shooters when he’s drawn out of the paint.
The long-term projection for Clark with Terry and the Longhorns in college is extremely promising, given his high-upside athletic profile and two-way potential and versatility over the next couple of years.
