Daniel Mading, a thin and versatile power forward, has committed to Texas Tech. This is somewhat big for Texas Tech because there are no spots available, so that means that there will be some roster overhaul. Still, Mading represents the future of where basketball is moving as he’s a power forward that can shoot and take defenders off the dribble.

Height: 6’9″
Weight: 200
School: Rock School (Gainsville, FL)
Class: 2017
Offers: Texas Tech, Boise State, James Madison, Kansas state, LSU, Missouri, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Providence, Seton Hall, South Carolina, St. John’s, TCU, USC, Washington State
Recruiting Services: Rivals | 24/7 Sports | Scout | ESPN
Cumulative Ranking: 0.8783

TTU!!! 🏀💯🙌🏼.. pic.twitter.com/BG92ur4fl9

— daniel mading (@Dmading33) February 14, 2017

Rivals’ Corey Evans had quotes from Mading pretty much right after he committed and Mading talked about Texas Tech as well as how he’ll be used by Chris Beard:

“First of all the atmosphere,” he said. “When I first got there, it just felt like home from day one. The coaches were consistent with me and very loyal. Thirdly, the opportunity to come in and play right away and how they could develop me, I really liked.”

How will Texas Tech use Mading on the floor?

“(The) first thing Coach Beard told me was that I am not going to have a position,” Mading said “He is going to use me in so many ways. They are going to have a lot of seniors leave and they need me to come in and make an impact similar to Zach Smith.”

Mading is correct in that he should play exactly like Smith, especially the way that Smith is playing right now, which is a power forward that can shoot the three-point shot. Mading has handles, he can take big men off of the dribble and shoot outside. He’s got ridiculously long arms.

There’s this Draft Express video (I can’t embed it) where Mading talks about how he is originally from the Sudan and moved to Australia when he was three years old. Mading is actually from Perth, Australia, which is on the western side of Australia, the opposite side of the country than Sydney or Melbourne. Mading said that he was being recruited by Arizona, Arizona State, Kansas, etc. and he actually committed to Arizona State. Mading didn’t pick up basketball until 2012 and that he played Australia Rules Football until he picked up basketball. So Mading must have grown by leaps and bounds, which explaisn why he’s so skinny. His body has some catching up to do.

Overall, Texas Tech needed to add a big man and for me, you don’t get much better than this. The one interesting thing is that according to Chris Level, Texas Tech isn’t done yet, that Texas Tech could add two more players. Level noted that he’s not in charge of the match, but without Mading, there were already 13 scholarship spots taken, which means that someone isn’t getting a spot and the more players that are added, the more roster upheaval there will be. I’ll be intently interested to see how this year plays out.