Texas A&M Boosts Basketball Roster with SMU Transfer Zhuric Phelps
COLLEGE STATION, TX- On April 30, Texas A&M University’s men’s basketball team bolstered its backcourt with the addition of Zhuric Phelps, a guard from Southern Methodist University (SMU). The Midland native spent three seasons with the Mustangs, during which he made appearances in 95 games. Over the past two years, he started all but one match, averaging 17.5 and 14.8 points in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, respectively.
Zhuric Phelps’ Impressive Stats
Throughout his time at SMU, Phelps has racked up 158 steals, including 131 over the past two years alone. He also contributed 218 assists in three years and proved his defensive prowess with 25 steals in the last two campaigns. Phelps’ 3-point percentage fell from 30.9% to 21.6% in the period between 2022-23 and 2023-24, but his free-throw rate rose from 60.9% to an impressive 74.1%.
In recognition of his prowess on the court, Phelps was named to the All-American Athletic Conference Second Team as well as the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District 24 First Team in the last season. During the match between Mustangs and Aggies in College Station on November 30, 2022, Phelps scored 23 points with a career-high five 3-pointers. In April 2023, he declared for the NBA Draft but decided to return to SMU later.
High-Profile High School Career
Before his college basketball career, Phelps excelled as a high school player. He was an ESPN four-star prospect and the No. 9 player in Texas as a high school senior in 2021. He earned outstanding achievements in his prep career when he led Duncanville High School to a 6A state championship. After this victory, he became the first player since 2008 to be named UIL 6A MVP, win a state title, and be named MVP of the State Tournament.
A&M Looks to Future with New Transfers
Texas A&M has been quite active with some valuable new additions this offseason. Phelps marks the third transfer portal pickup for the coach of Aggies, Buzz Williams. He joins Nebraska small forward CJ Wilcher and Minnesota center Pharrel Payne. These new players are expected to bring versatility and depth to the squad, strengthening their potential for the upcoming seasons.
The team is hopeful that the addition of capable players like Phelps will enhance the quality of its game and push for better results in the seasons to come. Fans are looking forward to seeing how the new roster shapes up in practice and ultimately, how it performs on the court. With the current offseason moves, the Aggies have certainly stirred up anticipation and excitement among the supporters.
