Texas Holding Holland Hostage Means Win for Razorbacks Either Way

Short-sighted Longhorn administration doing long-term damage to basketball program

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
May 22, 2023 6:28 PM EDT
Original:
May 22, 2023

In this story:

FRISCO, Texas – The Texas Longhorns have now reached a point in the Ron Holland saga where they are not only playing with fire, they are doing irreparable damage to their basketball program.

The athletic administration in Austin is reportedly continuing to hold Holland's release because they want to dig into whether there was any illegal contact that prompted Holland to decommit from Texas as opposed to a general concern by the 2023 recruit about newly hired Rodney Terry's ability to develop him as a future NBA draft prospect.

However, as we now close in on a full month since Holland announced he no longer wants to attend Texas, from the outside looking in, it's appears more and more like Texas being petty and trying to force Holland to choose an option other than college by running the clock out on his expected transfer to Arkansas. They're the NCAA version of the soup guy from the old Seinfeld series. "No college experience for you!"

It's a standoff that recruits are watching that is not only going to hamstring Terry as a coach, but make it unlikely that elite recruits risk going to Texas for fear of getting jerked around like Holland. After all, coaches may come and go, but typically university administrators stick around for a long time.

In this case, either way Arkansas wins. If the Longhorns finally relent, the Razorbacks get a top player, presumably for a single season, who will help Eric Musselman's team compete for a national championship next year if he lives up to the hype. By the time Texas rolls into the SEC, Holland should be long gone and not a potential thorn in their side.

However, if Texas sticks to its proverbial guns, Arkansas wins also. While Holland wouldn't be on the Razorbacks, he also wouldn't be anywhere else in college basketball because he will be cutting his teeth with G League Ignite. Not only do they not have to compete against Holland on the court, but they will have been handed a giant hammer with which to beat the Longhorns over the head for years to come in recruiting.

Even if Terry flames out two years in, Musselman, or whomever may come after him if he leaves for the NBA at some point, will still be able to point recruits to the actions of Texas administrators in getting their undergarments all twisted over Holland wanting to leave and essentially retaliating against him.

There's no way Texas can win in this situation. The best that can be done is to cut their losses and minimize the damage. The sooner the better because each day is another hit to whatever reputation may be left in regard to being player friendly.

Either way, Arkansas racks up a win over the Longhorns, so no need in continuing to delay the inevitable.