May 5, 2008 

T.J. Ford and Kevin Durant are long gone, but when thinking of Longhorn basketball their silhouettes still exist.

Tristan Thompson, a high school sophomore who watched Kevin Durant and T.J. Ford play on television, said that he will follow in their footsteps and attend the University of Texas. He has committed to play for the Longhorn basketball program beginning in 2010-11.

Thompson, a 6-foot-8-inch, 215 pound forward at St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, N.J., is ranked the fifth-best sophomore recruit in the nation. St. Benedict’s finished their season 24-1 and is ranked No. 2 in the nation by USA Today.

Thompson is an honor roll student with a 3.0 GPA who decided to commit now to avoid the distraction of the recruiting process later.

Thompson is originally from Toronto, and during the summer grassroots season, Thompson plays for Ro Russell’s Grassroots Canada Pump and Run team, but attends St. Benedict’s because he feels the United States offer better basketball training.

The decision to commit early to the University of Texas was a great choice for Thompson. Now this honor roll student can focus on the two things he enjoys most school and basketball.