Brock Cunningham to return for his sixth year
On a Zoom call with media on Thursday, Texas forward Brock Cunningham announced he will return to Texas for the 2023-24 season. It will be his sixth in the Texas program.
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“Yes sir, I’ll be back at Texas next year,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham, a 6-foot-6 forward from nearby Austin Westlake, will use his one remaining season of eligibility in 2023-24. The Longhorn legacy is having a career year this season. He has posted career highs in almost every offensive category. For the year, he’s averaging 4.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.0 assist per game in 17.5 minutes. He’s shooting 49 percent this year, including a 44 percent mark from behind the three-point line. At the foul line, Cunningham has hit 21-of-24 free throws.
His most impressive improvement may be his three-point shooting. He’s made almost as many threes this year (20) as he attempted all of last season (23). He’s become a legitimate 3-and-D threat for Rodney Terry and the Big 12-leading Longhorns.
After a redshirt season in 2017-18, Cunningham has seen his role grow at Texas as his career progressed. Recruited by Shaka Smart, Cunningham stayed at Texas following the hire of Chris Beard and intends to stay at Texas for whoever succeeds him.
Offense never came easy for the “glue guy,” nor did defending without fouling early in his tenure. Prior to the start of this season, Cunningham had more fouls (151) than points (141).
This season, he has twice as many points (125) as fouls (61).
Cunningham grew up in a Longhorn family. His father, Ed, was an All-American offensive lineman for Texas in 1989. Playing for Texas was always Brock’s goal, no matter who occupied the head coach’s chair.
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“Playing in front of the home town, the positive is that it was the dream to grow up to play here,” Cunningham said. “I always wanted to, and to be on a good college team that is competitive to win the league is nothing but a dream come true. Something that a lot of people don’t know about Austin kids playing at Texas is there’s a little bit more pressure. Everyone knows that you’re from Austin. I would say that would be really the only one negative, but it’s all about how you look at it. I’ve embraced being the Austin kid since I stepped on campus. I’ve loved every minute of it.”
Cunningham currently has 101 appearances to his name. He’s 43 behind the program record-holder AJ Abrams, who ended his career with 144. With another year to play, Cunningham could break the almost 15-year old record. Is that on his mind?
“That’d be a nice record to have, but I’d rather go get a Big 12 Conference championship, another tournament championship, and make a run,” Cunningham said.
A member of the class of 2018, Cunningham was rated as the No. 167 overall prospect according to the On3 Consensus.
