Fil-Am forward Kamaka Hepa will be playing college ball in Texas.
The 17-year-old slotman, who is ranked as the top prospect from Alaska and 51st among 2018 recruits, has bared his commitment with the Longhorns on Wednesday.
In a report by Rivals.com, Hepa shared that he believes he could be a huge help for the Texas basketball program as he walks the same path previously trekked by NBA stars like Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge.
“At Texas, I just felt like I could help turn the program around. After talking to coach (Shaka) Smart and coach Darrin Horn, building a relationship with them, I just felt really comfortable with them,” said Hepa, who traces his roots to Pangasinan.
The 6-foot-9 Hepa saw action in the 2017 NBTC National High School Championship last March with Filam Sports USA, where he was named as the Defensive Player of the Tournament.
His stellar showing also earned him offers to play college ball here in the Philippines, with some of his suitors namely Ateneo, San Beda, and Adamson.
However, Hepa opted to remain in the United States where he is ranked as a four-star power forward after his stellar showing for Barrow High School in Alaska, where he was hailed as Gatorade Alaska Boys Basketball Player of the Year Awards twice before transferring to Jefferson High School in Portland, Oregon.